


Charles and Elsie-retired together

by Maria1980



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: F/M, Love, Marriage, Retirement, leisure time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:13:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 54,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24556723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maria1980/pseuds/Maria1980
Summary: Hello my lovely friends. I took a short break from writing and now I'm back. Ever since I wrote one of my previous stories-”Retired together”, I couldn't stop thinking about developing it a bit further. So this one will be kind of a sequel about Charles and Elsie retirement. They can still have some nice adventures outside of the Abbey...Of course we will not say goodbye to the characters from the house. They will still be present-especially the downstairs ones...Each chapter will tell a short story. Since the lockdown is over, I'm not sure how often will I be able to update, but I will do my best.Legal note: Still don't own Charles, Elsie, Beryl or neither of the wonderful characters created by uncle Julian ;-)
Relationships: Charles Carson/Elsie Hughes
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. Goodbye party

Elsie smiled to herself, when she finished dressing up. She looked at her mirror reflection and the bright smile that she had on her face made her look radiant. It was her last day of service in the Abbey and she was more than glad about it. Ever since she and Charles made the decision about her retirement, she simply couldn't wait for this day.  
Since then, she had few difficult chats-one with the Crawleys, who were very disappointed about her leaving and the most difficult one with Mrs Patmore, who almost burst into tears, hearing about the prospect of being in the house without her best friend. Elsie was very touched. She knew that they had a special bond, but she didn't suspect that Mrs Patmore will be so sad. She had to assured her that they will still see each other on many occasions, to calm her down. 

She spent all the last month teaching Miss Baxter the duties of the housekeeper. Her Ladyship decided that she was the one who should replace Elsie. They also considered Anna for the job, but because Anna was now in the early stages of her second pregnancy, this solution made much more sense. The Crawleys didn't want anyone new for the job, as the position of the housekeeper was very demanding and they feared that someone entirely new, would not have coped with the responsibility.

Miss Baxter was hardworking, bright woman and Elsie had no doubts, that she will manage well in her new role. Besides, she was always around, if Miss Baxter had any additional questions.  
Elsie had problems with zipping her new dress, as the zipper was placed in her back and she wanted to look nice on her last day of work, fortunately Charles just went into the room.

“Charlie would you help me with the zipper please? I cannot cope with that..”

Charles stepped closer to his wife, looking at her with admiration in his eyes. They were married for three years now, but none of his feelings for her has changed in him. He still found her incredibly attractive and when she wore a dress like that..His hands were a little shaky and he misguided the zipper's direction...

“Charlie...You were suppose to get this zipper up, not down..”

“I'm sorry Els...Usually, when I help you with your clothes, it's always the other way round...”-he smiled mischievously to his wife...

“Charles Carson...You are a very naughty man...And it's unacceptable at such early hour..”

“Excuse me my love..But what else can I do, when I see my beautiful wife in a lovely dress and with such an adorable smile? What caused that smile, if I may ask?”

“The knowledge that it's my last day of work. I can't believe this. Finally retired...I've been waiting for that day a very long time and I still have problems with believing that it's true..”

“You better believe it sweetheart..Starting from tomorrow, we will have all the time in the world for each other..”

“And it's all thanks to you Charlie...I have to thank my lucky stars, to have a wonderful and caring husband by my side..”

“You can always thank your husband for being caring...Preferably in that special way, that he likes so much..”-Charles's face became frivolous, when he reached for Elsie, drew her closer and kissed the side of her neck, inhaling the wonderful smell of her perfume..

“I think we can negotiate this at night time...Charlie...Mmmm...Not now hubby...I have to go to the Abbey..”

“Spoilsport! I will walk you Elsie..”

“You really don't need to hun...I know the way..”

“I know you do, but I want to guard my most precious treasure..”

“You've never missed walking me to work these last two and half years...It's so sweet Charlie...”

“I like to take care of you Elsie...What time shall I come back at you?”

“I almost forgot! Mrs Patmore asked me to tell you that you are invited to dinner. She wants to make something special for me, since this is my last dinner with the Abbey staff.”

“All right then. I will come at dinner time.”

“We should go now. It's getting late..”

They've enjoyed their walk to the Abbey. It was late summer, but the weather was still very nice and warm. They chatted and laughed and when Charles safely got Elsie to the back door of the Abbey, he stole a sweet kiss from her and she waved him goodbye, thinking with relief one more time, that it was the last day which they had to spent separated...

Later, in the evening...

It was a really enjoyable evening. Mrs Patmore made all the favorite food for Elsie. When the dinner was over and they were ready to leave, suddenly they saw Mrs Patmore and Daisy carrying the big cake from the kitchen, to the servants hall. It turned out, that they were planning a little goodbye party for Elsie.  
What a fun night it was...Everyone was all around Elsie. She got a little gift from every member of the staff. Everyone wanted to have a conversation with her. They all thanked her for what she did for them. She was like a real mother to all of the downstairs group and they all had something that they were grateful for. 

During all her long years of service, she was always the person who solved everyone's problems. Her kind, warm heart, mixed with a little bit of strictness, who was mellowed, with every passing year, caused that it was difficult for all of them to say goodbye.  
Even the members of the family, took their time and also went downstairs, to say goodbye to their favorite Scottish housekeeper-the person whose efforts made this house what it was, for the last thirty years-close to perfection.

Charles was standing on the side, beaming with joy. He knew that it was Elsie's moment. Tonight was all about her. He still remembered the great goodbye party, that the staff prepared for him when he was leaving. He was extremely proud of Elsie. He knew how people liked her and how they respected her. So he let her enjoy this moment to the fullest.  
Late at night, when the sky was filled with a lot of stars, two happy people were coming back to their cottage, carrying all the presents, that Elsie received. The night was warm and pleasant and they almost felt sorry, when they got back home. They locked the door and put the presents on the table.

“We should leave them until the morning. I'm to tired to unpack them now. What do you think love?”

“I'm all for it Elsie...This was such a wonderful evening...”

“Wasn't it? I was really touched..They all were so involved in saying goodbye to me..”

“They all love you..You know that..”

“I think they do...”

“And you know who else loves you? More than anyone else?”

“I have no idea Charlie..You will have to remind me...”

“Your faithful husband...He loves you like nobody else does and he is the luckiest man in the world..”

“And why is that...?”

“Because from now on, he will finally have his wife all to himself..No more sharing my Elsie with other people, no more interruptions, no more of any of this nonsense! Hurray!”-Charles suddenly, without any warning, took Elsie in his arms and lifted her, spinning around with her in his arms...

“Charles! Put me down! You will hurt yourself!! My crazy, old booby!”

“Never! I will never let you out of my arms again Elsie!”

“My daft man!”-Elsie laughed, when he finally put her down and they kissed lovingly, feeling utter delight...

“Elsie...You want to bet about something?”

“What's that Charlie?”

“I bet, I will be upstairs faster than you!”

“It's a bet!”

They raced upstairs, laughing and thinking that life can't be any better for them.


	2. Elsie's name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello again. I'm very grateful for all your reviews after first chapter. They always make me happy because it means that I'm not wasting my time. Elsie is now happily retired with Charles and they are slowly learning their life together, in those new circumstances. There is one small, question that still needs to be resolved. Let's see what it is...

Three weeks has passed since Elsie started her retirement. Slowly, day by day, they were both adjusting to this new situation. It wasn't always easy. Not that they had a problem with being together all the time. They spent most of their adult life being together every day, sharing all joys and sorrows. It was more about the change in the day routine. For the first time, they were both waking in the morning, knowing that they don't have to do anything. They don't have to get up very early, they don't have to rush to the house, nervously, knowing that there is another difficult day, full of hard work ahead of them. They didn't have to put aside their own needs, wants and wishes, to serve someone else.

In the first few days, this was really difficult for Elsie. Charles was already retired for almost two years, so he managed to work out a day routine, but to her it was all new. She wasn't quite pleased with it in the beginning. It was not easy to go from managing the whole house, to waking up with a knowledge that you have no duties to fulfill.

In those first days Elsie was rather annoyed and she took it out on Charles few times. He accepted it very calmly, still remembering how difficult he was to handle, when he stopped working. He remembered that he was so touchy those days, that Elsie rather wanted to get out of his way, than to deal with him.  
Now, she understood the cause of his behavior back then. She was almost a little surprised by her own attitude. She wanted to retire so much and now when she did, it wasn't always as she would have imagined it to be.

But as the days go by, Elsie slowly adjusted to the situation. She started to appreciate the fact that she didn't have to wake up at dawn, get out of the warm bed, whether she wanted this or not. Now, she was sleeping as long as she liked-it was one of the best luxuries of retirement. If she woke up first, while Charles was still sleeping, she went downstairs to make a breakfast for them. 

But usually, he was the one who woke up first and he mastered in preparing a delicious morning meal for both of them. Sometimes Elsie just couldn't hold her smile, when she went down and saw Charles hanging around the kitchen. Who would of thought, that ever in her lifetime, she will saw Charles Carson managing so well in the kitchen. After the breakfast, they were taking care of domestic issues. Charles was reigning in the garden. That was entirely his job and he was so proud of his vegetable patch. She always had to remember to express her approval for his actions, because it really made him proud, that he was such an efficient gardner right now.

Elsie took care of their cottage. She was organizing the kitchen shelves, taking an inventory of the books that they've owned, checking the state of the sheets, arranging the composition of the flowers from their garden in the vases. She was doing all those things that she normally didn't have time for when she was working. They ate lunch together around noon. One more, new thing that Elsie noticed, was the fact that Charles was not complaining about the food so much, as he often did before, even though her cooking skills were still not the best one. In the afternoon, they either took a walk to the village or stayed home and read books or took a short nap. This fall was extremely warm, so it was still nice to sit in the garden in the late afternoon.

In the evenings they ate dinner together. Charles was very helpful and he often did the dishes afterwards. At some nights, they were still invited to the dinner at the Abbey. Mrs Patmore was calling their cottage, inviting them to dinner, whenever she cooked something that was either Elsie or Charles's favorite dish, especially when she knew that it was a dish that Elsie didn't cook well.  
After the dinner, they sat in front of the fire, reading books or talking, with a glass of Sherry in their hands. It was a tradition very dear to both of their hearts and they were more than happy to maintain it.

Elsie's retirement caused a change not only in their day routine, but also in the night one as well. When Elsie was working, they usually went to bed very early, knowing that they will have to get up in the morning. Now, when the circumstances have changed, they could afford to live a little...They were more than glad about it. Their love life was very pleasant, but only until now, they truly known how it is to be totally relaxed and how a leisure time can influence their willingness to make love.   
Elsie was not tired or stressed like before and she was as eager as Charles, to delve into a world of carnal pleasures. Charles was extremely happy about the fact. He always tried to be a good husband, so he understood her reluctance to love-making, when she was still working. Knowing the life of service himself, he didn't bear grudges, when she was sometimes unwilling before.

Now, it was all different. Elsie discovered, that it was wonderful to be indulged by her husband, late at night...And not only at night...Recently they started to make love in the afternoon too. Neither of them had nothing against that. On the contrary...Charles was such a wonderful and tender lover and Elsie became even more passionate than before...Their love life was blossoming with redoubled force.  
This morning, Charles woke up earlier and he made a delicious breakfast that they ate together. When they finished, he offered to wash the dishes and when he was wiping the dishes, she felt a warm feeling in her heart and again, she thought that it was great to have such a wonderful husband...Elsie came closer to Charles and she nestled into his back, wrapping her arms around his midsection. She loved the warm feeling of his body strong body.  
Charles smiled warmly, feeling a sudden afflux of his wife's affection...

“Mmmm...Elsie...That feels so nice...What have I done to deserve this?”

“You are such a caring husband...You made the breakfast and you did the dishes...I feel spoiled by you..”

“I love to spoil you Elsie...I want to do it every day..”

“I know you do...I can feel it clearly, everyday...Sorry that I have been so difficult recently..But you know...It takes a while to get use to this new life....”

“I know Elsie...It took a while for me too...You surely remember how grouchy I was at that time..”

“You were a little, that's true..But I almost forgot that already honey..”-Elsie placed few, sweet kisses to his neck and he purred with satisfaction...When she moved her lips to his favorite spot behind the ear, the one that he enjoyed so much, he felt a hot flashes in his body...

“Mmmm...Elsie...It's so good...I love when you...Mmmm...”

He dropped the cloth to the floor and turned around, when a sudden eruption of passion took over him... Their lips met in a sensual kiss... Three years haven't weakened their mutual passion, they never had enough of tasting each other. Charles wrapped his arms tighter around Elsie and she run her fingers into his hair. Their kisses became more ardent. They separated to catch a breathe and Elsie suddenly withdraw from Charles's embrace...

“Now, now Charlie...No time for that now...We still have some work to do before lunch and in the afternoon we are to attend the church meeting in the village...”

“Oh, is that so? It's not very nice of you Elsie...To arouse your husband like that and than to withdraw..I don't think that I like that very much Mrs Hughes..”

Elsie suddenly opened her mouth, like she wanted to say something, but she stopped herself..There was one thing, that was still on her mind and she wasn't sure if that was the right time to raise this question, but she decided to take her chance...

“Charles...I need to tell you something...There is one matter that's been bothering me for some time...”

“What's that sweetie? Please tell me..”

“You remember when we got back from our honeymoon and they made that small party to celebrate our arrival?”

“Of course I remember that Elsie...How could I forget our honeymoon? Those were the best days of my life..”-He leant to her and kiss her lips softly...

“It was the same for me Charlie..It was the same for me...But that's not what I wanted to say to you. During that party, you told the family that we should still be known in the household as Carson and Mrs Hughes, to make it easy for everybody, what made his Lordship very happy..”

“Yes, I remember that..He was actually very pleased about it..”

“He was Charlie, but I wasn't...In fact you hurt me then..”

“Elsie? Why? What did I do?”

“You let everyone knew that you don't mind if I use your name or not...I almost felt like I didn't really marry you..”

“Oh Elsie, I'm sorry...I never realized that it meant so much to you..If I had known..”

“But that's the problem Charlie...You didn't even ask my opinion back then..You just assumed, that I will be happy with that solution and I wasn't...You did that just to please the family..To make it easy for them. You didn't consider my feelings..”

“You are right Elsie. I'm so sorry...I should have asked you before I told that to everyone...You were always so independent and so free thinking, that I never thought that it wouldn't matter so much to you..”

“It did...I really wanted to be called Elsie Carson..I still do..”

“Elsie...To me you are always Elsie Carson. My Elsie...My sweet, beloved wife..”

“Since we are both retired now Charlie, is it all right that from now on, I will present myself to other people as Elsie Carson, not Mrs Hughes?”

“Sweetheart..Of course it's all right...I will be more than proud calling you Elsie Carson in front of other people...I'm sorry that I caused you pain back then...I didn't mean to do that...I love you, but sometimes I need a little more time to realize some things..”

“I love you too Charlie. Very much. I'm so proud to be your wife and to carry your family name. I always was..”

They've kissed lovingly... Charles and Elsie's eyes were full of love when they looked at each other...

They reluctantly parted, to do their cottage duties. After lunch, they got dressed and went to the church meeting. After the meeting, Elsie got into a little chat with her friends from the village and Charles was talking with his friend from the memorial committee. He used to live in a neighboring village, but he decided to move to Downton recently. Elsie didn't know this man and when she finished her little chat, with her friends, she neared Charles and this unknown man and she heard words, coming from her husband, which were like a music to her ears:

“Elsie I'd like you to meet Mr Warwick-we worked together in a memorial committee, few years ago. Mr Warwick, this is my wife- Elsie Carson.”

Elsie shaking hands with Mr Warwick, saw the enormous pride on her husband's face, when he introduced her as Elsie Carson. She suddenly sensed that everything was on the right place. Just as it always should be...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all for today my dear ones...Sorry if today's chapter was not that good, but as a justification-I have an enormous migraine..I can barely see the screen in front of me...Anyway, I was always displeased that Elsie was not called Mrs Carson. I mean how difficult it could have been for the upstairs people, to acknowledge that she is Carson's wife??? Now she is happily Elsie Carson, just as she should be. Sorry for language mistakes. I have no strength to care about them today. Stay safe and see you soon!


	3. Babysitters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome all. Thank you for the latest reviews. Since the question of Elsie's name is now settled, we can move on, accompanying our beloved Chelsie in the retirement adventures. In today's chapter, they will babysit little Johnny-Bates's son. Sorry in advance about my clumsiness in describing a fun time with the child. I'm not around children very much, so I may be a little out of touch with this...But first some moments os pleasure for our Chelsie -they can afford to live a little, right? ;)  
> Warning: Strong T in the first part of the chapter. Hope you will enjoy it.

Elsie woke up feeling blessed by the huge amount of sleep she got last night. She came to bed very tired and very early, after a day of helping in the church, with the preparations to the church bazaar. It took her few hours, she spent rest of the day organizing her spices shelve in the kitchen-it was a result of the interesting conversation that she recently had with Mrs Patmore, about the usage of various herbs and spices to particular meals.   
She fell asleep almost immediately last night, not waiting for Charles, who decided to prolong his evening with an interesting book, that she lend him from the local library.  
She stretched in her bed, yawned and her mind drifted to all the things that she plan on doing today. She decided to get up quietly, not wanting to wake Charles, just to get to work as soon as she could, but Charles had other plans...When she was about to lift herself up, she felt his arm around her waist...

“Charlie...You are up already?..I thought that you will want to sleep longer..”

“Mmmm..I'm up...Why do you want to get up at such early hour Elsie?”

“Early hour? It's after nine already..I have so many things to do...Don't you want to sleep a bit more Charlie?”

“No Elsie...That's not at all what I want right now..”-he whispered, covering her face with sweet kisses...”I want to spent few pleasant moments with my lovely wife...In fact, I wanted to do it last night, but you were already sleeping when I came upstairs...”

“Charles...I have so much to do..I need to do the laundry, go shopping..Prepare something for lunch and...Oh Charlie...”

Firmness in Elsie's voice was suddenly shaken, when she felt her husbands lips on her neck..He was tasting her creamy skin in there, so slowly and sensually, that she began to melt..

“Elsie...It can wait...You have all day...”

“But Charlie...Now? In the morning?..”

“Why not? What's wrong with the morning? It's as good time as any...Every hour is good to taste my wife..To love my wife...”

Elsie closed her eyes, giving in to the lovely things that Charles's lips were doing to her... When he nibbled that tender spot between her neck and earlobe, she gradually began to lost her senses...

“Charlie...Oh my...Oh you are...Oh God..”-she simply wasn't able to resist his sweet caresses..His hands soon joined his lips, united in a mutual goal-to drove her over the edge...He slid them under her night dress and groaned, when he felt her naked body under the pad of his fingers, instead of the material, that covered her tightly...He saw how she closed her eyes, how her lips parted, gasping for air, how her body reacted to the wonderful caresses that he was giving her..  
Laundry, shopping and lunch were all forgotten, when she felt his hands and his lips on her skin...Her moans became louder and louder, especially after he took of her night dress cautiously and his lips moved over her skin, fondling it so gently...He knew her body so well by now. He sensed perfectly what kind of reaction will he get, while doing what he was doing to her...He loved that about Elsie...This passion that they've discovered together, slowly, ever since their wedding night...He blessed himself for being so firm, about the question of full marriage from the beginning...How could he live without having this delicious woman in his arms, melting in his hands, letting him know with every fiber of her being that she fully appreciated what he was doing to her...

“Elsie...You are so perfect...So lovely...”-she opened her eyes, eyes burning with love and desire. He bent down to kiss her...He was toying with her mouth, licking it and then letting his tongue deep inside, while his hand went down between her thighs..She moaned into his mouth, when she felt it in there...Familiar tingling took over her special place. She started to unbutton his pajama, desperate to feel his naked body in contact with hers..He felt her impatience, her hastiness and he already knew that at this point she was ready..Ready to accept all of him...

He entered her carefully, as always, giving her body a chance to adjust and after a while, he began to move inside her, very slowly...He wanted to take his time...Not to hurry...To let them both a chance of prolonging this joyous moment...He opened his eyes to watch her...He loved watching her face expression while he was in her...That slowly expanding bliss in her eyes...That sign of total love and devotion...Those sounds that she was making...All this, made a perfect combination of the woman that he loved most of all in this world...

He saw that she was close..Her breath has quickened it's pace and the skin on her neck covered with pink blush..Those were always an undeniable signs of her being close...They've kissed with wet and very lustful kisses and then he buried his face into her neck, while she arched her body up, when she reached her climax...He rose his head, to watch this moment and he soon followed her...

He came making a rumble, that she knew so well...She smiled to him, with her warmest smile..Thinking, how lucky she was, to have such a caring husband, who made their love making the most delightful time that she ever had in her life...They loved each other so much and it perfectly transferred into their intimate moments...She gave him a sweet kiss on his temple and nestled her body into his..He wrapped his arms protectively around her, like he always did after they made love...

“Elsie...Do you now still wish that I didn't let you go to your duties?”

“Not at all Charlie...It was so wonderful..Duties can wait..”

“Well you did one already-a wifely duty..”-he smiled to her, saying those words...

“With you Charles Carson, it's not a wifely duty, it's more of a wifely pleasure...”

“I couldn't have dreamt of hearing more beautiful words from you Elsie...Did you really enjoy it that much?”

“Isn't it obvious for you Charlie? When you see my...My reactions..”

“It is..But it's always nice to know that I can please my wife....”

“You certainly can Charles...”

They kissed one more time and hugged each other as tight, as it was possible...

Later, in the afternoon....

Elsie was more than glad with this day. She done most of the things that she planned to do today, in spite of the lovely intercourse, that they've had with Charles in the morning..And maybe because of it, all seemed to go very well that day...Charles was extremely happy too. He was working in the garden, singing all day long. They had an afternoon tea together and he went to change, as he finished for today in the garden. Elsie was sitting on the bench, in front of their cottage, when she saw that Anna was approaching, holding hand of little Johnny. 

Even though Elsie no longer worked at the Abbey, her relations with Anna were still very good. They always had the kind of special mother-daughter relationship and it didn't stop when they no longer worked together. Elsie and Charles sometimes spent Sunday afternoons with the Bates's and their little Johnny. He was two and half now and he adored Elsie and Charles. He called them grandma and grandpa and they had nothing against that, as they both adored the boy.  
Elsie felt a little distressed, when she saw the Anna was walking very fast. Was there something wrong at the Abbey? She raised from the bench, waiting for them to arrive. When they were really close, little Johnny suddenly pull out his hand from his mother's and ran towards Elsie...

“Grandma Elsie...” -she smiled seeing the little boy's enthusiasm. He adored her and that feeling was fully reciprocated. Elsie was spoiling the boy, whenever she had a chance to do that. She always remembered to have some little treat for him and she spent a lot of time, telling him an old fairytales, that she still remembered from her childhood. She opened her arms and she hugged this cute little boy.

“Hello Mrs Hughes. So good to see you...Johnny, will you let go Mrs Hughes? You will squash her with your hug...”

“Hello Anna. I don't mind that..So good to see you both. I missed you. Is there something wrong? You were walking so nervously, that I was afraid that something bad has happened...”

“Everything is all right Mrs Hughes. Don't worry. But I have a problem and I was wondering if you could help me. You see, John went away with His Lordship to London. He is attending some military meeting and they will be back in two days and I have just found out, that Lady Mary wants to catch the last train to go to London too...She has some urgent business to attend to and she just told me that an hour ago...We will be back tomorrow, in the early afternoon..But I have no one to stay with Johnny..Lady Mary is not taking children, so I can' t take him with me..Would it be a big problem if he stayed here, with you?”

“It wouldn't be any problem at all Anna...I will be very happy to take care of him..Do you want to stay with grandma Elsie, Johnny?..”

“Yes grandma...I want to stay here...I want to stay with you...Where is grandpa?”  
“He is in the house. He will be right there to play with you...”

“Oh, Mrs Hughes, thank you so much...You have no idea how you are helping me...Are you sure that Mr Carson won't mind?”

“What would I mind?”-Charles voice preluded his appearance...”Hello Anna. Nice to see you. Hello little lad..”

“Grandpa! Grandpa!”-little Johnny was jumping form joy, seeing Charles and he immediately pull his hands, waiting to be in Charles's arms. Charles lift him up high...”Hey little fellow, you have grown again..Soon grandpa won't be able to lift you up!”

“Hello Mr Carson. I was just explaining my difficult situation to Mrs Hughes and I was asking if this would be all right with you, if Johnny stayed here till tomorrow afternoon? I have to go to London with Lady Mary..”

“Of course it's all right Anna. Our little fellow is always welcome here...” Charles lifted the boy higher up few times and little Johnny's vibrant laugh filled the air...

“Thank you so much. To both of you...I will never forget your kindness...”

“Anna you should go now, if you wish to catch that last London train..It's getting late..”

“You are right Mrs Hughes. Here is the bag with some of Johnny's stuff. He ate something at tea time, so he will probably not eat much for dinner. I usually get him to bed between seven and eight. If there will be any troubles, I will be available by the telephone in the evening, at Lady Rosamund's house...”

“There won't be any problems. Don't worry Anna. We will take care of your little lad and return it to you safe and sound.”

“I know...I can always count on you...All right little Johnny. Mummy has to go now, but she will pick you back tomorrow. Please be good here at grandma and grandpa! Don't make any trouble..”

“Ok mummy.”

“Bye and thank you very much.”

“Bye Anna.”-Anna turned around to give Johnny a wave goodbye and he waved back with his little hand. Carried in his “grandpa's arms”.

When Anna left, Charles and Elsie took care of the boy. Little Johnny was in heaven. His mummy and daddy were usually very busy and they didn't have much time to play around with him, but it was different with grandma and grandpa.  
Charles made a kite for him and they played outside together, while Elsie was preparing dinner. When she was ready, she called them and they all sat to eat together. Elsie was surprised how well-behaved little Johnny was. He was eating the meal that Elsie prepared and even though he didn't eat a lot, just like Anna predicted, he really didn't make much trouble.

After the dinner Elsie asked Charles to do the washing up, while she went upstairs, to prepare a bath for the boy. After the bath, she changed him into his little pajama and she took him to the guest room, where he was suppose to sleep.  
But the little one was not in the mood for sleeping. He was still very stimulated, after his fun outside with “grandpa” Charles, so Elsie decided that it would be the best to get him to sleep with some fantastic fairytale. He was tossing and turning in the bed, so at one point, she decided to take him into her laps, she covered him with the blanket and started to tell the story, when she got to the end, Johnny was still not even half asleep, so Elsie figured out a better way to get him to sleep.  
She started to lullaby him with an old, Scottish song, that her mother used to sing to her, when she was little. It worked perfectly....Soon little Johnny was slowly drifting off to sleep.

Charles allured with his wife's lovely voice, quietly paced towards the guest room, to see a picture that made his heart clenched. He saw Elsie with little Johnny in her arms, humming a lullaby to the boy. He stood in the doorway, mesmerized with this sight...Those disturbing thoughts, that sometimes entered his mind, now came back to him...If only...If they had a chance to have that before...If they got together earlier..If he had asked her twenty years ago to marry him...They could have had this...He could have watched Elsie taking care of children..Their children...This thought almost gave him tears in his eyes..  
Elsie raised her head and saw Charles, looking at her with adoration in his eyes...She called him silently..Showing him that she needs his help, to get the boy into the bed. He cautiously took him in his arms and carefully put him into bed. Elsie covered him with the blanket tightly...  
They stood there for few moments, watching the sleeping boy...Charles was the first one who broke the magic of this moment...

“Elsie...Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like if we...”-he whispered, not to wake the little one.

“Yes Charles...I often wondered about that..”-she looked him in the eyes and he caught the suffering expression of her eyes...

“I'm sorry Elsie...I'm so very sorry...”

“For what Charlie?”

“For being a fool for such a long time...We could have had all this...Children, grandchildren, all..”

“Shh Charlie...”-she put a finger on his lips to shush him...”No point of thinking about that now...We don't have children, but we have each other and that is a lot...It's enough for me...Is it enough for you too?”

“It is Elsie...You are everything to me you know that...”

“And you are everything to me...Don't ever doubt that...”

They looked at each other, with love in their eyes, nestled into one another and they stood there in silence, watching over the peaceful sleep of the little boy...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all for today...I got pretty emotional by the end...I really wish that they could “go another way”, but of course only with each other..They would have been fantastic parents..Both of them...I hope you liked this chapter..Sorry for any mistakes and a review would make my day. Stay safe and see you soon!


	4. Charles's illness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello to you. Thank you for your reviews after last chapter. They are very dear to my heart. In this chapter, Charles will catch a flu and Elsie's patience will be tested. All the ladies who ever had to deal with an ill man, know what I'm talking about ;-) Hope you will enjoy it.  
> I would really like you to see the cover photo for this story: It's a lovely drawing, made by my incredibly talented friend-Amanda Luciano. Chelsie standing in front of their cottage.She let me use it as a cover photo for this story. Thank you once more Amanda! You are incredibly talented!

Charles was working late in the garden, even though it was rather chilly. He wanted to finish some things. In the recent days, the weather has really got bad and he felt chills going through his body every now and then. Yet, he was determined to finish what he started. It was almost dark, when Elsie went outside the cottage to call him:

“For heaven sake Charles, will you get inside at once?! It's almost dark out there and it's freezing! You will catch a cold.”

“I wanted to finish what I started Elsie. You know how I hate to leave anything unfinished.”

“I know all about it, but please come inside. I have the dinner on the table and you should get warm. Besides it's going to rain in a moment...”

“All right, all right. I'm going.”-Charles reluctantly went inside the cottage. Ever since he found his passion for gardening, wild horses couldn't drag him inside. Elsie was really glad, that her husband spent his time productively, but he had a tendency to exaggeration. It was ok when he took care of their garden in the summer, during warm days, but now fall was fully blooming and he just couldn't acknowledge the fact.

“We have to find you something to do Charles.”

“What do you mean? I have something to do. I'm taking care of our garden.”

“I know love. You are doing great with it, but if you haven't notice, it's fall already. Soon we will have winter and you are still spending your days outside. It's really chilly today. You must have been freezing by now. Please take this sweater.”-Elsie handed him a sweater, which she carried from the upstairs wardrobe.

“I have to admit that it is quite chilly today, especially at this hour, but fortunately I have a nice cottage to go back to and my lovely, warm wife..”-he drew Elsie near him, hugging her and putting his head on her chest...”Mmmm Els..You are so warm and soft...You will get me warmed up instantly..”

“Not so fast my dear husband...I have a dinner to give you..”-she kissed his hair lovingly.

“Dinner can...Achoo!, Achoo!”-Charles snooze twice loudly.

“Didn't I tell you? You already caught a cold...Please have a sweater and eat dinner. I will get you a hot tea and then you will go to bed straight away.”

“Yes mother.”-he said grumpily.

Elsie laughed at his description and slapped him lightly on his chest..”I'll give you mother”

They sat to the delicious dinner together and Elsie was happy seeing Charles's appetite. Her cooking skills have really developed recently, thanks to the invaluable advices of Mrs Patmore. Charles really appreciated Elsie's efforts to get better and better in the kitchen.   
During dinner, Elsie observed Charles with anxiety. In her opinion, he clearly caught a cold and that was more than obvious for her. 

“Charles..I think it would be a good idea for you to stay in bed tomorrow. To have some rest. You've worked so hard those last few days. Besides, if you caught a cold..”

“Will you stop it Elsie? I told you that I didn't catch a cold. You are imagining things. Anyway, even if I wanted to, I can't stay in bed tomorrow. I have other obligations..”

“What sort of obligations? You never said anything before?”

“I have to go to the Abbey..”

“To the Abbey? Why on earth for?”

“They are hosting this huge party next week and Thomas isn't managing well with it, so I promised Lady Mary that I would come and help to organize things..”

“Of course! How could I forget the blessed Lady Mary! Even if I wanted to forget that she exists, which I certainly do, I couldn't do that.. That minx will never let you live in peace, will she?”

“Elsie you are not being fair. I can't remember the last time when she asked me for a favor..”

“You would have jumped out of the window if she asked you Charles Carson!...Don't forget that I've been around you for the last thirty years.”

“Elsie...There is no need for you to be jealous about Lady Mary..”

“No other need beside the fact that she is always happy when she can steal you from me, even if it is for a moment..”-there was a bit of anger and biterness in Elsie's voice, when she stood over the sink, washing the dishes nervously. Even being retired, hasn't weakened the aversion that Elsie always had for Lady Mary..Charles stood behind her and watched with a little hint of satisfaction, as his wife become jealous of him again.

“That's all she can get Elsie...A moment or two of my time..Other than that, I always belong to you..All of me..”-He wrapped his arms around Elsie's waist and nestled his face into her hair...”Will you be here long sweetheart? I'm going upstairs and I don't like to go to bed without you..It's so lonely and cold out there..”

“I will be there in ten minutes...Please go and lie down...I will bring you a hot water bottle to keep you warm..”

“I know much better ways to keep myself warm than a hot water bottle Elsie...Mmmm....For instance my sweet, delicious wife by my side..”

“Get away with you! Upstairs now!”

“Yes My Lady...”-Charles smiled seeing his wife's stern facade. He knew exactly by now when it was not a good idea to mess with his wife...

The next day...

Charles woke up feeling really dreadful...His head felt like one, big ache and his throat was swollen. He couldn't open his eyes and for the very thought of going somewhere today, his skin crawled...But he couldn't possibly let Lady Mary down. It would not be his style to do that. So he got off the bed, with the rest of his strength. He had to pretend at breakfast time that everything is all right with him, because Elsie kept on watching him intently...When he was ready to get out of the cottage, he swiftly kissed her on the cheek, just so she wouldn't notice how warm his face was. He already felt like he had a temperature and he couldn't let Elsie notice it.   
The meeting at the Abbey seemed to be endless. He did the best he could, to gathered his body and mind altogether and help, just as he promised...When they finally finished and he could go back to the cottage it was already late afternoon...  
The walk back was a nightmare. Rain was pouring like crazy and he felt a chill penetrating his bones. By the time he got to the cottage, he felt an exhaustion taking over him, as soon as he entered and closed the door, he leant on a wall, to catch a balance and he almost collapsed...

“Charles! Oh my God Charles! What is wrong with you? What happened?”

“Elsie...I'm not feeling..I'm not feeling all that well..I think I'm ill...”

“I told you so! I told you that you will be ill! Why did you come to the Abbey at all today?”

“I had to...I promised...”-Charles was talking with a clear difficulty and Elsie figured that it was not the right time to give him a hard time...

“Come to bed Charlie...I will make you something to eat and a hot tea and I will get you an aspirin..”

“Thank you Elsie..”-Charles was so weak, that he barely made it upstairs. Elsie helped him to change into his pajamas and she put him into bed instantly. She was in great distress, seeing how shivers run all over his body and she went downstairs, to prepare something for him...Soon she got back with a food tray and a warm tea...He didn't want to eat, but she made him, telling him that it's for his good. She gave him medicine and watched, as he drifted off to sleep almost immediately...  
Elsie didn't sleep a wink that night, as she watched his fever rising. She was with him all the time for the next few days..Charles was really ill and Elsie was worried. She called dr Clarkson, but he only confirmed what she already knew, that Charles caught a flu. 

She watched over him day and night, making sure that he got all that he needed. She was rather tired herself, but it didn't matter to her, because Charles was the most important one right now...  
She only left the cottage twice, leaving him alone-once to do the food shopping and second time, when she went to the Abbey, to get some home chicken bulion for Charles, as a effective mean to get better. Her cooking skills might have improved, but there were still things that she was not very good at...  
When Charles finally felt a little better, Elsie was relieved, but only for a short moment...Along with first signs of health coming back to him, his grumpiness has revealed itself with a double force....

“Elsie! Will you come here for a minute please?”-that was the thing that she heard million times in the last few days and she rolled her eyes, going upstairs for again, to check what was wrong with him this time...

“Elsie, this pillow is really not very comfortable. Don't we have anything better? It hurts my neck..”

“Charles...You were sleeping on this pillow for the last three years and it was always fine..I don't get what's changed now?”

“I don't know..It's just feels different...”

“Here. Let me fluff it..Is it better now?”

“A little, but not entirely. Could you get me a glass of orange juice please? I'm thirsty..”

Elsie went downstairs, to get the juice for Charles...

“Why is it so cold Elsie? Did you keep it in the fridge? I'm afraid that my throat may hurt again after I will drink it..”

“You want me to warm it up for you Charlie? I have never heard about warming up the orange juice, but we may try..”

“There is no need to be sarcastic Elsie...I'm ill and I need a proper care...”

“Hmmm...I'm a little confused here Charlie...What have you been receiving from me those last few days?”

“I'm hungry Elsie... Can I please eat something?”

“All right. I have a nice chicken bulion. Will you make it downstairs or should I get it to you here?”

“I will go downstairs...I'm tired of lying down all day...My back hurts...”

Elsie rolled her eyes again and she followed her “ill” husband downstairs. She heated the bulion and she handed the plate to Charles...

“Do you like it Charlie? Is it warm enough for you?”-she asked, seeing a grimace on his face, while he started to eat it...

“Well..To tell you the truth Elsie, it's not very good...I know that you are trying to cook the best you can, but I would prefer to eat the bulion that Mrs Patmore makes. This one is not that good as hers..”

“Charlie...This is Mrs Patmore's bulion...I got it from her, when you were lying with a fever...Because I knew how much you like it...”

“Is it? I didn't notice..It doesn't taste like the one that she makes...It wasn't as good as always...”

“I will be more than happy to pass your remarks to Mrs Patmore Charlie...I'm sure she will be pleased..”

And so on and on...By the end of the day, Elsie thought that it takes a saint to handle her husband and she was definitely not one...After dinner, when he went upstairs, she felt a tremendous relief, thinking that he will probably go to sleep and she can spent few hours without his nagging, but that wasn't the case...  
She was sitting on the sofa, with a book in her hand, adding logs to the fireplace from time to time, when she saw him coming downstairs again..She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes again...

“Is there anything you want Charlie?”

“Well..I came here because it's warmer here...It feels awfully cold upstairs and I thought that I could lie down and sleep in here...With you...”

“All right...Lie down here and I will cover you with a blanket...You need anything to drink?”

“I wouldn't mind a glass of tea, but not so strong as the last one...I can't sleep at night, when I drink such a strong tea in the evening..”

“Luckily I still have some..I just prepared a pot...”-Elsie rolled her eyes again and she poured a nice cup of tea and handed it to her husband. He took few sips and then he put the cup on the table.. She put a pillow under his head and covered him with the blanket, but he still wasn't satisfied with it...

“Elsie...Could you..?”

“Yes Charlie? What is this time? Is the sofa not comfortable for you enough? Don't you like the blanket or do you need another pillow? Or do you have a problem with something else, that I haven't mentioned?”

“It's neither of those things Elsie...I was wondering if you could...If you could maybe read to me?...When I was little and I was ill, my mother used to read to me..”

Elsie's face softened, when she heard that request...”So it's true what they say about man...You are all little boys deep inside, till the end of your life...Come here my little, ill boy..I will read you a story..”

“What are you reading anyway?”

“Dickens, as usual. Is that ok for you?”

“I guess so..But I would much prefer some of the Andersen stories..”

Elsie couldn't help but smile widely...All the anger, which her husband constantly caused in her in those last few days, was now gone...She reached to the book shelve and she took the beautiful edition of Andersen's fairytales, which Charles brought to the cottage. He was very attached to this book, because he had it since his early childhood...

She sat near him on the sofa and he decided to change into more comfortable position, choosing Elsie's breast to put his head on, rather than the pillow. He wrapped his arms around her and she asked him which story he would like to hear. He wanted the “Snow Queen” and she opened the book on the right page and started to read...It wasn't more than three chapters, when she saw that he fell asleep in her arms, with his head on her chest and with his arms wrapped around her waist. He was snoring lightly and Elsie's heart was filled with love again, forgetting all the annoyance, that he caused her in those recent days. He indeed looked like a little boy now, soundly sleeping in her arms...

She covered him with a blanket tighter and kissed his hair sweetly...Grumpy or not, he was still her beloved Charlie..Sometimes difficult to bear, but she knew she wouldn't exchange him for anyone else...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awww....I like Elsie as a mother figure and I can totally see her be that way about Charles...His grumpiness was not a surprise for anyone ;-) A lot of eye rolling for Elsie in this one. Anyhow..I hope you liked that chapter. Sorry for any mistakes..Please leave a review for your struggling with writing crisis author. Take care and see you soon!


	5. Church bazaar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello again. Thank you for all the reviews after last chapter. Still have couple ideas for the story, so probably I will able to write few more. This one will take place during church bazaar, which will take place in the church this time, not in the Abbey. Elsie is involved as chairperson (who else) and she will need Charles's help with it. With many village women around, Charles will be in the centre of attention and Elsie will feel a sudden need of “marking her territory”...Hope you will like it.  
> Warning: A little bit of mild smut by the end of the chapter...

Charles watched contented, as Elsie finished washing up after dinner and she joined him at the sofa, in front of the fire place. It was his favorite time of the day, or of an evening rather. When all the duties were behind them and they could snuggle together, enjoying their closeness.

Elsie gave her husband a warm smile and a tiny kiss on his lips, before she wrapped her arms tightly around him. She put her head on his broad chest, sighing with relief. This feeling of total security in her husband's arms, was something so precious, that she simply couldn't believe how she managed to live so many years without it. Even if they sometimes had rough days, when they fought about some not important trifles, they tend to forgot it by the end of the day, when they sat on their comfortable sofa, hugging and enjoying the peaceful moments together. 

Charles was stroking her back tenderly, whilst she was caressing his forearm. It was so good for both of them-sitting in this glorious silence, with peace and quiet surrounding them, like a safe cocoon. It was exactly the kind of thing that they both missed the most during their years at the Abbey, when having a quiet moment was a real feat.   
Elsie broke the silence, because there was one important matter that she wanted to discuss with Charles.

“Charlie...You know that the church bazaar is tomorrow. I will leave right after breakfast and I will be busy for the most part of the day”

“I remember Elsie. I just wish to say, that I'm not particularly happy about it..They have taken so much of your time. You've worked like crazy those last few days..”

“I know..But they really needed me in here. They needed someone who would organize everything.”

“They couldn't have asked for a better person when it comes to organize. They knew what they were doing.”

“It's all for charitable purpose Charlie..You know that the money that we earn during this bazaar, will be given to this home care for older people. That thought really made me wanted to do this. It's good to help others..Those who are less fortunate than we are..”

“Elsie...You are my sweet, little angel and I love you for it...”-Charles kissed Elsie's hair and stroked her cheek-”but the problem is, that they are taking an advantage of you and that's what I don't like..”

“I don't mind that...There is not much to do in the house now..Everything is sorted out and organized. It's good to spent the my days productively, especially knowing that I do a good deed..”

“Well of course everything is sorted and organized..How else could it be in the house where you are a hostess? I knew what I was doing, when I asked you to marry me..”

“Oh, so that was the reason you wanted me to be your wife! I should have known that Charles Carson. You are a real plotter, you know that?”-Elsie laughed, punching him lightly on his chest...

“That was one of the reasons, but not the only one my love..”-his voice suddenly became lower and more seductive..He bent to kiss her and they both felt that the heat was taking over them...Elsie considered, that it was the right moment to ask Charles for a favor...When their lips parted, she looked him in the eyes, with that innocent face expression, that always worked, when she wanted something from him..

“Charlie, I was wondering...You know that this thing tomorrow is mostly organized by women. We are the ones who planned, organized and prepared everything..But there are some things that we won't be able to manage by ourselves..We will need help with setting up the stores, for the bazaar and we only have Mr Druskin and Mr Cullen, who volunteered. I was thinking, that maybe you could help us tomorrow..Would it be possible love?”-Elsie looked Charles deeply in the eyes, her one hand was caressing his face and the other was moving over his chest, in soothing motions..When she saw his face expression, she knew that she won....

“So there must have been a catch there somewhere..I knew it...Don't look at me like that Elsie May Hughes...I know that look very well by now...You think you can win me over with it...”

“Am I not right Charlie?”-she asked, placing kisses to the side of his neck..”You will agree, won't you?...Because you are my dear, loving husband and I know you have a kind heart..”

Charles was slowly melting with her caresses...Sometimes he still didn't believe, that this woman was able to do anything she liked with him...He was as gentle as lamb with her...

“All right Els...I'll do it. I will come with you help you, till the end of the bazaar. You will probably need help with cleaning up too, after...”

“Thank you darling...You are so sweet...You won't regret it..”

“Is that so? Are you sure that I won't? Is there any other way you can convince me?”

Elsie smiled wickedly and she moved closer to Charles and whispered something into his ear..Some things that made him blush at once..

“Now Elsie....You mean..now?...”

“I don't see any obstacles...Come on upstairs, to bed...”

Charles needn't be told this twice...Rest of the night fully convinced him, that it's good to be a helpful husband...

The next day-church bazaar

In spite of the lovely night, that they've spent together, Charles was really grumpy in the morning. Elsie was used to his moods changing radically, so she was really patience, when she had to heard all his morning remarks- like:

“Why are we even going there anyway? Will people never leave us alone? We are retired now and they just can't see that. We will be exhausted by the end of the day..”

And so on and on...Elsie indeed thought, that maybe it was not the best idea to be the organizer. She felt like she was in her job again, trying to do three things at once, with everyone seeking her advices and her help. She almost forgot, how it is to be in the centre of hurricane, as she was right now.

The only happy, comforting thought, was that the bazaar was really a success. There were much more people that they expected and people were buying a lot of stuff. Elsie's heart was filled with joy, when she realized, how much money they will be able to donate for the needy.  
Even though she was really busy, she discretely observed Charles during the day. He was rather grumpy in the morning, nagging about the necessity of going and helping, but as soon as they got there and he was involved with helping with the stores, she observed a change in him.

It wasn't difficult to understand, where the change of his attitude came from. He was literally encircled with the ladies, who fussed around him all day. It was understandable, as he was one of three men in the bazaar and certainly the most handsome one..Elsie, although very busy herself, couldn't get out of an amazement, how much adoration those women showed to her husband. Mrs Wigan was a ring-leader there. She flirted with Charles all day, praising his skills every five minutes. Constantly making remarks how amazing he is.

Elsie was watching it, raising her eyebrows. Her skills earned while being a housekeeper all those years, really helped her to divide her attention between all this what was happening on the bazaar and the little theater that was going on by her side...She smiled to herself, looking as Charles was straightening himself up, showing off in front of all these women...”Men are always the same”-she thought-”just give them a little praise and they will buy it, without asking about price...”  
She was tired, but very happy, when all this was finally ended and they walked back together, in silence to the cottage.  
After they ate dinner and sat on the sofa, Elsie figured that it was her time to remind Charles to who he belonged now.

“Are you feeling better now Charlie? Knowing that you did something good for others?”

“As a matter of fact, I am Elsie. You were right. It's good to do some good deed. I was a little grumpy this morning.. I know, but it was really a rather pleasant day for me..”

“I bet it was Charlie..I bet it was...I saw it in my own eyes..”

“What do you mean Els?”

“All those women, dancing around you, with Mrs Wigan in front...They really did everything they could to make you feel special..”

“Elsie...They were not dancing around me..They were just...”

“Oh really Charlie? They were not? Mr Carson...You are such a strong man...What would we do here without you?”-Elsie was aping Mrs Wigan's style of talking...

“She was simply grateful for my help, that's all Elsie...”

“Oh Charlie..You can be so oblivious at times...You have no idea how you are effecting other women..”

“I do not!”

“Oh yes you do...Mrs Wigan would have thrown herself over you, if she had a chance..Those sweet eyes that she always makes, when you are around..”

“Elsie! She does not make sweet eyes on me! I would have never..I wouldn't let her...She wouldn't..”

Charles began to lost an ability of speaking with coherent sentences, when he saw that Elsie started to undress him slowly...She thought of all those women, that clearly wanted her husband and she decided to remind him that she owns him now...

“Charlie...”-she purred, rolling on the “r”...”You are mine and only mine and don't you ever forget it...And if I see that woman one more time, fussing over you, I will show her what it means to get in the way of Elsie Carson...

“Els...What are you...Why..?”

“Oh, shush Charlie and come upstairs...now...”

Charles obeyed immediately. He let Elsie take him upstairs and he watched, being flabbergasted, as she undressed him. She made him lie on his back and she started to indulge him, smothering his body with kisses. Starting from his neck, not ignoring that special place behind his ear, through his hairy chest. She purred with satisfaction, as she was enjoying his body, the body that she loved and adored so much...

Charles's groans and moans were like a music to her ears. She was focused on giving him as much pleasure as she could possibly give him. Engaging her lips, hands and all of her in the process.  
Charles was finding incredible bliss in his wife's actions... He closed his eyes and he completely surrendered to all the wonderful caresses, that Elsie was giving him...He forgot the whole world and she effectively reminded him, that he is her man. All of him and that no other woman will ever have right, to do all the things that she did to him now...

When they finished their love making and they lied in each other's arms, Charles suddenly said something, that made Elsie smile and reassured about efficiency of her earlier actions:

“Elsie...Are you planning another church bazaar in the near future? Because if so, I would really like to participate in it...”

“You will be more than welcome Charlie...”-Elsie gave her husband sweet kiss and she put her head on his naked chest, with a triumphant smile on her face...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's it my lovelies...No wonder Charles is eager to participate in future bazaars, after what he received from Elsie ;-) ;-) Our Elsie is always getting her way, isn't she? ;-) I sincerely hope you liked this chapter. I'm more than happy, writing relaxed and retired Chelsie... Sorry for any errors and see you soon!


	6. Dark afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello all. Lovely to be here with you again. This chapter will be a challenge-for me and for you too. I said once before, that I normally don't do angst in my stories and this idea popped in my head-I know it was already used in other Chelsie stories, so I will try to have my own take on that. I promise that this is one type thing and then I will go back to sweet and lovely Chelsie. You have to forgive me my twisted mind. It will all end well, so don't worry...In spite of that, I hope you won't totally hate it.  
> Warning: A small doze of violence in the middle of the chapter. (Sorry)

“Charles, I only put that cup on the table, because I had to go upstairs for one moment and I was going to be back soon. It's not like I did that on purpose, to annoy you.”

“I'm not saying you did that on purpose Elsie, but the fact is, that this is your constant habit. You are always leaving some things on the table or on the cupboard, instead of putting them in their place.”

“Well excuse me for that Mr perfect, but if you haven't noticed, I have a house to run here and it's not exactly a picnic.”

“You were running a bigger house for thirty years and I have never noticed you being sloppy, as you sometimes are now...”

“Maybe that's because it was my job and as you well know, I don't tend to get sloppy with my work, but now, I'm in my own house, not in a castle or museum and it feels different. At least it should. Is my cup lying on the table does any harm to someone?”

“What if we had a visitor Elsie? You know that people sometimes visit us, without notice. What would they think if they saw that kind of mess?”

“Mess? Are you joking Charlie? You haven't seen the real mess in your life! Will you please come here to the table? I want to serve you lunch, if that's ok with you.”

“What are we having?”

“The same we had yesterday. Lamb stew. I cooked a bit too much and we can't waste that.”

“Oh, I was hoping that we will have something else today...The stew is not your best dish Elsie. You should talk to Mrs Patmore about making the stew. She will give you the right directions for...”-Charles suddenly interrupted his sentence, seeing rage on Elsie's face...

“That's it Charles Carson! That's enough for today! I can't stand anymore of your nagging! One more word from you and I will bite your head off!”

“Where...Where are you going Els?..”-Charles asked coyly, seeing that Elsie put on her coat and took her basket.

“I'm going to spent a nice afternoon in the village and talk to some kind people. People who won't be complaining about everything! This should be a nice change! And one more thing Charles Carson- if cooking and good food means that much to you, maybe you should have married Mrs Patmore! You two would have been a quite good match. She likes to nag a lot too and she would share your antipathy for modern inventions!”

“But Elsie...I...There is no need for you to get out..”

“There is every need Charles Carson and you know that very well. Have a nice afternoon and don't wait for me!”

Elsie left, slamming the door loudly, so loudly, that Charles cringed a bit. He hasn't seen her that furious for a long time.  
When she left, Charles sat on the chair and he sank in his unhappy thoughts. He knew that he was rather demanding in life, but it never occurred to him, how much of a pain in the neck he can really be. He hasn't seen Elsie being that furious with him for a very long time. It was all his own fault. He realized that he was really nagging a lot these days and in all sorts of different situations...In fact the only moments where he was totally satisfied, was when he and Elsie were having their sweet moments in bed together. He had no reasons for complaining there, because Elsie was such loving and passionate wife..But besides that, he still had the tendency to act as he was the head of household, who was in charge of the staff.

“I'm just a sad, old fool...What was I thinking treating my wife like this? I should never do it again..”

While Charles was submerged in his musings, Elsie was spending a nice afternoon in the village, slowly forgetting about her anger for her husband. He could be so annoying at times. But that was the first time, when she let her rage be expressed so openly.Usually, she just rolled her eyes at his behavior. He was difficult to bear at times. He seemed to forgot that he was no longer Charles Carson-the butler of Downton Abbey, but Charles Carson-her husband. The only moments when he was truly happy and contended, was when they were making love..Elsie blushed, realizing that this was probably the one area when she was fully capable of pleasing her husband.

Thinking about all this, she managed to take care of some business in the village. She went to the local shop, stopped for a moment by the memorial and she even chatted with her good friend-Mrs Hoskins. She didn't even noticed, that the weather changed a bit, a thick fog suddenly appeared. It was late fall now and those kind of weather changes were not unusual. Elsie thought that she should go back to the cottage, before it gets dark and she said goodbye to Mrs Hoskins. 

She headed her way back, thinking that the lonely walk through this small wood, will not be the pleasant experience. Her paces became quicker and quicker, just to get out of the wood as soon as possible. She almost sighed with relief, when she was nearing to the brink of the wood, when suddenly her heart almost stopped, as she saw a suspicious looking youngster, lurking behind the tree. She felt very unsteady. What was she suppose to do now? Go back? She was far enough from the village, but not close enough to the cottage. She hesitated for a while, but then she decided that she should go and pass him, as if nothing has happened. She didn't know this guy, so he must have been an outsider, from other village. She passed him, not looking at him, pretending that she didn't see him. She was convinced, that he won't bother her, but then he spoke, blocking her way.

“Where are you going lady? You are in such a hurry. What's the matter? Don't you know how to say hello?”

“I don't usually say hello to strangers. Now, would you please get out of my way.”-Elsie tried to be calm, but the shaking in her voice, gave away her fear.

“I will do whatever I want to and no old witch will tell me what to do! Besides, I'm not a stranger to you or I won't be for long. In few moments we will know each other very well..”

He grabbed her hands and she dropped the basket with all it's contents. Elsie was terrified. She knew that she was in a real danger and there was nobody around. She started to jerk, just so he let her go, but his hands grabbed her wrists and he squeezed her in a painful way.

“Let go on me you scoundrel! Let go now!”

“Not until I will show you what it is to have a real man around..I bet that you have never had that in your life...”

“You are not even close to a real man..And you never will be!”-Elsie was furious and before she could think, she spitted this man right on his face, which caused a real eruption of anger from him.

“You old witch, now I will show you what it is to mess with me”-he let go of one of her hands and he slapped Elsie in her face. It wasn't a hard slap, but she fell on the ground, crying from fear and anger.

“Charles! Charles, please help me Charles!”-She yelled in the air, knowing that it was inconclusive...She knew that there was no help for her...Suddenly she heard some heavy steps on the side and she turned her head, fearing that maybe this devil had a partner in crime..She was devastated, but then she saw who it was and she knew she was saved...

Earlier-in the cottage

Charles woke up from his nap, feeling anxious...He could swear that he heard Elsie's voice, calling him, asking for help...He looked around to check the situation, called her name and he soon found out, that she wasn't back from the village yet, even though it was almost dark outside, thinking no further, he decided to go and look for her, having a bad feeling inside him...Sensing, that there was something wrong with her...He paced as quickly as he could, in a direction of the woods and when he neared, he saw a struggle between Elsie and some unknown, young crook. He was instantly by them and before the youngster realized, he was thrown on the ground by Charles, who hit him without stopping. The blood, the bruises, the pledges to stop, didn't make him pull back. He was ready to kill that guy, for what he tried to do to Elsie.  
Elsie got of the ground, fearing that her husband will crossed his rage, by killing that pathetic human being.

“Charles stop! Please stop, you are going to kill him!”

“I will kill him..I swear I will! You scoundrel! How dare you touch my wife!”

“Please, please..I haven't done anything to her. Please, let me go...”

Charles finally let go, because his hand was very sore. The youngster took advantage of the break and got of the ground to run away. Charles wanted to run after him, but Elsie stopped him.

“Charles let go...You will never catch him.”

“But Elsie I should run after him..He attacked you.Did he? Did he hurt you?”

“It's all right Charles. He didn't do anything to me. He didn't make it..You came first...Thank God you came..”

“Oh Elsie...He did hurt you...Charles looked at Elsie's bruises on her wrists and on her cheek..”I will go after him. I will kill that son of a bitch..!”

“Charles, don't..Please don't leave me here...Take me home..”

“But we should report it to the police...”

“There is no point Charles...I wasn't hurt and he is not from here...They will never find him anyway..Please, take me home..”

Charles didn't contradict anymore..He gave his arm to Elsie and they came home, as soon as possible. When they crossed the threshold of their cottage, Elsie sighed with relief...She was home now..Finally...Charles took care of her. He helped her to get undress, he started the fire, to keep her warm and he brought some ice to put on her cheek...  
Elsie's nerves were on the brink...She suddenly started to realize the horribleness of this situation...If Charles hasn't arrived on time..He could have...She blinked her eyes, but it was to late to stop the tears, which started to fall, she was shaking inside and outside, thinking how all this could have ended..Charles saw that and his heart was cut in half...

“Elsie..My love...My sweetheart...It's all right now...You are at home. Safe..”

“Oh Charlie...Please...Hold me..Hold me close...”

He instantly took her in his arms, holding her tightly. She put her head on his chest and she was sobbing uncontrollably, letting out all the fear and pain which were inside her. Charles felt wetness on his shirt and he held her as close as it was possible.

“My heart..It's all right now..Shh...My brave girl...I will not let anyone hurt you..Ever...I will always protect you...I love you so much...You were so brave...You've managed so well..I bet he suffered a bit too, didn't he?”

“I..I spit on him...I wanted to hit him, to defend myself, but he was rather strong and then he slapped me on my face..”

“That damn, impious man! I could have killed him and the world wouldn't miss a thing..”

“And you would have go to jail Charlie..What would I do without you?”

“Elsie...I'm so sorry love...It was my fault too...If I haven't upset you this afternoon, you would have never went to the village alone...Oh my darling girl..If I hadn't walk on time...”-He started to kiss Elsie's face tenderly, especially the place on her cheek, where she was injured.

“It was not your fault. I shouldn't spent so much time in the village and get back so late..But Charlie...How did it happen that you came to look for me?”

“I woke up from the nap and I swear that I heard your voice-calling me and asking for help..But I couldn't hear you, the wood is not that close to the cottage...Did you call me?”

“I did..When he...When he slapped me and I hit the ground...I did call you, even though I knew that you couldn't hear me...”

“But I did...It's amazing Elsie...Our love is so strong and so powerful, that I heard your calling, even though you were far from here...I love you so much my baby...I will never, ever let you go anywhere alone...”

“I love you too Charlie...So very much...I knew that you will save me...Even though it was against all odds”

“I will always save you from everything bad...Nothing bad will ever happen to you...I promise...”

“Charlie...Does your hand hurt? Do you want me to medicate it?”

“I'm all right love...Don't you worry about it..'-Charles smiled, thinking that Elsie is an amazing woman, a real angel on earth..She went through this awful trauma and in spite of that she still cared about him...

The long time has passed and they were still sitting, nestled into each other closely....After the dinner they went to bed and Elsie fell asleep almost at once. She was exhausted after this horrible situation...She woke up in the middle of the night, when she heard Charles calling her...Even though it was dark in the room, she quickly realized, that he was having a nightmare...He was in awful state...He was crying, writhing on the bed and calling her name. 

“Charles! Charles! Wake up! Wake up now!”

“Els...Elsie? Are you there? Oh my God, you are all right?”

“I'm here Charlie...I'm here...Everything is all right. You just had a bad dream...”

Elsie touched his face, caressing him..He was covered in cold sweats and clearly shaken..

“Oh Elsie..It was so terrible...”

“Please tell me...What did you dream about?”

“I dreamt that he attacked you and I was standing right here and I couldn't move...I wanted to help you but I couldn't move or do anything and he wanted to hurt you...Oh God Elsie..It was so terrible...”

“It's all right Charlie...I'm all right...He didn't hurt me...You saved me...You are my wonderful, strong, brave husband, who will always save me from all the bad things...”-Elsie was covering Charles's face with sweet kisses, full of love...And he slowly relaxed. She put her arms around his waist and she snuggled herself into his body...He also put his arms protectively around her, kissing her temple...

“I love you my dearest...I'm so grateful that this nightmare is over..Behind us...”

“I love you too honey...Thank you for being there for me..”

“I will always be there for you Elsie..Till the last breath in my body..”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ouch...That was difficult...Please don't hate me for that...Luckily, nothing bad happened to Elsie and Charles was there, right on time...Being a real man for Elsie.I know that from today's perspective, it's seems rather odd, but in those days, women rarely decided to failed a complaint against violence (remember when Anna was attacked). Anyway, this was a rather dark and sad chapter, but I promise no more of that in this story..From now on, we are coming back to happy and relaxed Chelsie...Sorry for any errors and please be kind with your reviews (although I deserved scolding). See you soon!


	7. Elsie's musings on rainy day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone. Thank you for the reviews after last chapter. It wasn't easy to write it, but I'm glad that you didn't hate me for it...Today's chapter will be short and sweet...The idea for it came to my head in the middle of the night...Apparently suffering from insomnia has some good sides too...It's a quiet, rainy, Sunday afternoon and Elsie takes a trip down memory lane, reminiscing her wedding night with Charles, while he snores by her side ;-) ;-) ;-) Hope you will like it.

The weather was simply dreadful that Sunday. It was chilly, windy and rainy. It never stopped raining from the morning until now. Charles and Elsie decided to skip the church this time, which didn't happen often, but the weather was an excellent excuse to do that. They spent a lazy forenoon, reading books and talking and later on, Elsie prepared a lovely Sunday lunch-lamb cutlets, baked potatoes and Brussels sprout with gravy. That was one of the dishes that she really liked to make and the result was always satisfying, even for her demanding husband.

Charles was so happy with the good food, that we helped Elsie cleaning up and they decided to take an afternoon nap, as the weather seemed to be perfect. They lied comfortably on the bed, covering themselves with a blanket and as usual, it wasn't more than five minutes, when Charles fell asleep, snoring lightly. Elsie herself, took a short nap, because the sound of the rain has effectively lulled her to sleep. She woke up half an hour later and she looked through the window, admiring the beauty of the pouring rain outside...She liked that kind of weather..Windy and rainy. It reminded her of her beloved country-Scotland and the beauty of the moors..She might have been living in England most of her life, but deep inside, she still remained a Highland girl...

She sighed, blinked her eyes and turned her head in the direction of her blissfully snoring husband...Hear heart was warmed up again, when she saw his cute face, so peaceful and full of relaxation. His hair were delightfully disheveled and one of his hands was hanging around her waist.   
Typical Charlie...Always protecting her, even in the deepest state of sleep. It was simply lovely, how he couldn't get out of this his caring husband role, even in his sleep.

Elsie touched his face delicately, brushing away his curl and he mumbled something in his sleep. Elsie thought, that he even smiled a bit, but he kept on sleeping.  
Seeing his face so near, the face that she loved so much, for so many years, made Elsie so happy. There wasn't a better place on earth, than the loving embrace of her husband. He was always like that. From the very beginning. A gentle giant. A fuddy-duddy with a golden heart.  
Her thoughts drifted to their first night together-the wedding night...The moment which she was so afraid in the beginning....She may not have known much about intimate relations, in fact she didn't know anything, but she knew the content of Marie Stopes book, she heard stories of other women, married women. She was fully aware, that being with her husband might not have been so pleasant for her. Especially on this first night...

However, as it turned out, that night was much more pleasant than she predicted it would be...They were both equally shy in the beginning, clumsy even...Till that moment, she wasn't really sure if he had some other experiences of that kind in the past. She couldn't have asked him about that..If she wasn't able to talk to him about their intimate relations and had to ask Mrs Patmore for help, how could she have possibly asked him if he had other experiences before? But those first, few moments, during their wedding night, swiftly convinced her, that he was equally frightened and unsure as she was. She felt some kind of an inner joy..It was an invigorating thought, that they were both inexperienced and it truly meant that they belonged to each other completely.  
The most difficult barrier to cross, was the moment when they both got rid of their clothes and their naked bodies met fully..

At first, Elsie was really embarrassed, as it was the closest physical contact that she ever got with anybody, in her whole life and she wasn't a young girl anymore..But that awkward feeling has disappeared really quickly and it was Charles's merit mostly...He was so gentle with her, so delicate..Even though his shy and uncertain kisses were growing bold with each passing minutes, she didn't mind. In fact she was rather glad about it. Kissing him was pure heaven...Their lips finally could taste one another fully, after so many years of waiting, holding back, dreaming and hoping..As for Elsie, the kissing part could have lasted infinitely long...  
His touches were pleasant too...Big, strong, yet delicate hands on her, on different parts of her, were bringing different kind of emotions... Emotions that she never known before...But neither did he...They were learning all this together...Slowly...

Apart from the few shocks that she had, seeing and knowing different parts of his body, that she didn't know before, it was all extremely delightful...The sensual caresses of their lips, the soft touches of their skin, gentle exploration of their bodies...Working with him for so long, she would have never expected that there will come a day, when they will touch and discover each other so intimately...It was simply wonderful, to have her beloved man so close to her, for the first time...  
When they got to the part when the full union was about to take place, Elsie shivered a bit...She knew it may hurt, that it won't be totally pleasant for her, but she was ready...Ready to let him love her, make her his wife, in the true meaning of this word and she did...

When they were fully united, each of them has perceived this situation differently...Elsie had to survive this initial moment of sharp pain and Charles was as delicate as he could be, which really helped her to take it...When she got used to him being inside her, she focused on watching his reactions...Which were so different than her own...He was clearly enjoying it very much...With each passing moment, she realized how much he was enjoying it. His initial attempt to stay in control, seemed to failed, as passion overtook him completely..His eyes were closed, as if he wanted to feel this amazing moments with his other senses, but his mouth was opened and his throat was emitting sounds, that he wasn't probably even aware of...

In one moment, Elsie saw that he seemed to lose control over his actions, which was quite unusual for him. In all their mutual years of working together, she has never seen him loosing control, but he apparently was now...He intensified his movements, as he neared his release and his face was grimaced with spasm of utter bliss..He called her name, in the moment when he emptied himself inside her and his head fell on her breasts, to lie there, until he regained his breath..  
She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his hair...She realized, that he just experienced something wonderful and even though she hasn't, she was very happy to be able to give her beloved man something that made him so pleased...  
When he was able to talk again, he raised his head and he looked at her. There was a trace of worry in his eyes, when he asked her:

“Elsie...love...Haven't I...Haven't I hurt you too much? I tried to be gentle, but in one moment, I totally lost control..Did it sore a lot?”

Elsie saw those brown, trusting eyes of his, looking at her with such an enormous love and hearing his trembling from emotions voice, asking her if he didn't hurt her...He totally melted her heart with it...She knew that it wasn't common for women to have husbands who care so much about their wives feelings...She cupped his face gently, thinking that she could have not chose a better one...He was grumpy, pompous and impossible to bear at times, but he was also gentle, loving man, with the kindest heart...

“I'm all right Charlie...Don't worry...You were so gentle and loving...It couldn't have been any better..Besides, in our bedroom you don't have to be in control...This is one area of our life that we don't have to be in control..”

“You are right Elsie...I guess I was just being used to be in control all the time, but with you it's impossible...You are such a beautiful woman..Your body is so enticing and desirable...I don't think I will ever be able to be in control around you, here, in bed..”

“Charlie....That's so sweet what you just said...About my body...”

“It's true Elsie...You have no idea how beautiful you are...I want to make love to you all the time..”

“That would be rather difficult Charlie...We still have jobs, cottage and the rest of our life to get on with..”

“I know...But I will make sure that we will have enough time for this in the future...I'm just sorry that you haven't...That you..”

“That I haven't what Charlie?”

“That I haven't fully pleased you, as I should have..”

“Don't worry about that Charlie...It's difficult for women to be pleased during first time...”

“I know..”

“You know??? How?”

“I've read Marie Stopes book, to know something about that, before we were married..”

“You cheeky devil! Who would have thought?”

“But this will change Elsie, I promise...I will make sure to do everything I can to please you Elsie...”

“I know you will Charlie...I trust you...”

Charles was not lying back then...-Elsie thought, looking at her sleeping husband..Indeed he made sure that she was fully satisfied...It wasn't at once...It took some time to gain this effect..He slowly learned how to satisfy Elsie...He was asking her about things, he was inquisitive about stuff...And she told him...Not at first...She was still too shy to talk about this, but gradually she taught him...When she was to ashamed to name things, she guided his hands, showing him what he should do..And he was very teachable student...After a while, one night, Elsie finally fully realized what the term “wedding bliss” means and since then, they were both more than eager, to spent every possible, free moment, enjoying each other...  
Elsie was smiling wildly, reminiscing all of this. She was so submerged in her thoughts, that she even didn't realized that Charles woke up and looked at her smiling face with satisfaction...

“May I ask why my lovely wife is smiling so wildly and what she is thinking about?”

“Yes you may...I was just thinking how lucky I am...”

“And why that is exactly?”

“Because I have a gentle, loving husband, who is such an incredible lover and that's more than I could ask for...”

Charles smiled broadly, grinning from joy, when he heard it.

“Well, in that case, my dear, sweet wife, I see no reason for not showing you the fullness of my skills right now...”

“I have absolutely nothing against that love...”

Outside it might have been windy, chilly and rainy, but inside the Carson's love nest, was warm, cosy and extremely pleasurable, for the rest of the afternoon....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all my dear friends. It was suppose to be a short chapter,but...As usual..When I start to write about THIS, I never know when to stop. Hope you liked it a bit...Sorry for any mistakes. Please let me know if this Elsie's musings chapter was bearable. See you soon!


	8. Charles's musings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello all. Thank you for the latest reviews. By them, I gathered that you really liked Elsie's musings about her wedding night...So I figured, why not write a chapter about Charles's view on the same subject? I find it really fascinating, how different man and women see the question of the intimate relations...Hope you will like this one..

“Charlie, you don't have to walk me to the Abbey. I will be fine. Besides, it may take me a couple of hours till I will finish helping Miss Baxter and what will you do in this time? You are going to stay there?”

“Elsie that is out of the question. I will walk you. I wouldn't be calm if you were walking through this wood alone..I will never let that happen again, after this horrible incident...But I will not stay at the Abbey. Whenever we are visiting, Thomas is doing whatever he can to show me that he is the butler now, so I will not give him the satisfaction...I will come back to the cottage and when you are done, you will call me and I will go to pick you up.”

“Ok Charlie..If you think that's necessary...And when we are at the Abbey, don't forget to call him Mr Barrow, not Thomas. He is very sensitive about that question...”

“That is precisely what I'm talking about...I do not wish to spent my time, watching as Thomas is parading and bossing around..”

“He finally has what he always dreamed of...You have to forgive him...So what will you do today, when I'm not around?”

“I'm not sure..Maybe I will finish my book and prepare something for dinner..You will be very tired when you get back Elsie...”

Elsie smiled, hearing those words...What a transformation her husband went through..From the man who was outraged by the fact that he has to cook a meal, to a loving husband who is willing to take care of a dinner preparations, so she wouldn't feel tired...That was sweet of him. She gave Charles a sweet kiss, just to show him how much she appreciated his attitude.

“What was that for Elsie?”

“For being sweet and caring husband, who wants to help me with cooking. That's always appreciated and you may expect a great reward for that..”

“What kind of reward are you exactly talking about Elsie?”

She gave him another kiss...”Will discuss this in the evening Charlie...Now, let's get going, we don't want to be late...”

“Uhmmmm...To bad that we can't discuss about that now...How is it, that we are both retired and they still need us constantly at the Abbey.. I will never understand..”

“Back to grumpy Charlie, huh? You better don't go down that road...Remember what happened the last time when you were grumpy...”

This was an effective way to shut Charles up...He walked her down to the Abbey, left her to help Miss Baxter with the big party preparations and went back to the cottage, enjoying the thought of being alone for few hours...Not that he didn't like when Elsie was around...He loved it, but from time to time, it was good to spent some times with his own thoughts...

Back at the cottage...

Charles went back and he instantly started the fire in the fireplace, as it was really cold outside. Soon the place was warm and cozy. He made himself some hot tea, got some biscuits from the kitchen cupboard and sat comfortably in the chair, near the window. It was his favorite chair, because he could observed the beauty of his garden and admire all the hard work, that did during the summer months.

He smiled, thinking how cordially he and Elsie were greeted at the Abbey...He was smart enough to know, that people were more happy to see Elsie than him, but he wasn't jealous. He knew that he was the one who was respected, but his wife was the one who was not only respected, but also loved dearly by everyone..Not just the downstairs people, but also the one from the upstairs, maybe except Lady Mary. It wasn't a big secret, that she and Elsie were never having any real sympathy towards each other, he learned to accept this fact...But everyone else loved Elsie and who could blame them? She was so sweet, with such a kind heart..He still couldn't get out of an awe, how this wonderful woman agreed to be his wife..Him. The old, pompous fool and her-special in each way..With so much warmth inside her, which she gladly emitted to all the people, himself included.

The most dreamy smiled appeared on his lips, when his mind drifted away to their intimate moments..  
Elsie had so much love in her and it transferred perfectly to their bedroom as well. She was loving, passionate wife, who didn't avoid marital intercourses. Charles knew, that many women did so...Especially after being married for a while. They were already married for more than three years and their mutual fascination was becoming stronger and stronger, as they discovered another levels of pleasure...

It wasn't like that from the beginning..He still remembered, how nervous they were on their first night together. Both equally nervous, as neither of them had any experience. But the difference was, that he knew about Elsie's lack of experience and she wasn't sure about him. He always wanted to be a man of the world in her eyes, who knows this and that, so she probably thought that it will not be his first time with a woman. Yet it was. She must have figured that out, somewhere along the way, but she never mentioned anything about that, not wanting to hurt his man ego...

He still remembered, how she was shivering, when they sat on the bed and kissed, how shy and uncertain she was, but besides that, she was also eager..Eager to make love to him. He saw that clearly in her eyes. They were burning with love and something else, he wasn't sure what it was, but he was hoping, deep inside that it was lust...  
He was not a vain man, he never considered himself handsome or desirable, although the truth was different..But he was desperately hoping that Elsie will find him so..When he started to undress her that night, he was shivering too...From all sorts of emotions...Happiness, hope, anxiety and desire to finally know Elsie-all of her....He waited so long for this moment. All these years, he was wondering what was hidden under those dresses and corsets that she wore and now he was about to find out. In spite of Elsie's fears, of not being good enough for him, he wasn't disappointed at all. It was quite the opposite. When he finally got rid of her clothes and he saw her naked body for the first time, he wasn't at all disappointed. He saw that the woman who he loved so long, not only had the beautiful soul, full of compassion for everyone, but also a most beautiful body, which he knew he will desire and want to admire till the end of his days...

He tried to be as gentle as it was possible..He might have not been experienced, but he wasn't a total ignorant. He made sure to get some knowledge, before they got married, by reading Marie Stopes book. He learned that this first sexual intercourse, may not be so pleasant for women and he fully took that under consideration, as soon as they started to make love.

Her attitude during those moments was very helpful..She was frightened of course, but also rather willing to make love to him. When he kissed her and touched her, he heard first, shy but audible sounds of her approval...He listened carefully, learning which actions of his, were having the most desirable effects...As soon as he found out, he intensified his efforts, to fire up this passion in her.

His own body was reacting more than willingly, to the sights and sounds that he witnessed. Before the wedding night, he had his own doubts too, although he never shared it with Elsie or anyone else..He was afraid that being in the age that he was, his body may betray him, in the most important moment, that some parts of him will not be able to “rise to the occasion”. Luckily for him, as soon as he saw and felt Elsie's naked body so close, he instantly knew that those doubts were unfounded...

He couldn't understand, why Elsie was so insecure about her body..She was beautiful in his eyes, just as he said to Mrs Patmore and now, seeing all of her, just confirmed his suspicions...She was so lovely, all of her..He wanted to kiss her and caress her endlessly. He wanted to give her everything, but he knew that they have to take a slow path, to learn gradually what passion means...He intended to learn all of it, to know each possible way to please her. Even if it was to be a long process. He didn't mind..He wasn't a young lad, who was in hurry for his own release, not caring about the woman's feelings..He was a mature man, who loved his wife so much, that pleasing her became the most important goal...

When their intercourse came to the key moment, he doubled his delicacy. He knew that this was the moment, when she may feel pain or discomfort and he made sure that she could go through this with the least suffering possible.  
When the most awkward time has passed and he saw that she started to relax, he began to loose himself in the overwhelming feeling of being inside her completely...As a skilled butler over the years, he experienced different sorts of satisfaction in his life. The satisfaction being a result of good served dinner, the satisfaction coming from the success of a grand party in the house, the satisfaction from the fact, that some guest leaving Downton paid compliments to him, as a head of the household...

But non of those satisfactions, could have been slightly compared to what he felt, when his body was joined with Elsie...That was beyond words and every possible expectations..He never knew, that such bliss could exist on earth..That he could forget about the whole world, loose control over his mind, body and words even, let alone the sounds he was making...He would have given everything, to stop this moment, so it could last forever..When he reached his release and he fell on her breasts, feeling exhausted, the only thing that he could think about, was that he will take every opportunity to repeat it.

As he gained his composure, he immediately asked her is she was all right and if he hadn't hurt her much...She convinced him, that everything was ok and she kissed his hair..He was worried, that she didn't experienced what he did, but he promised himself and her, that this will soon change...  
He kept his word...Soon after the first night, he did everything that was in his power, to satisfy his wife. He asked her about her feelings, about her desires. He learnt what she told him or what she showed him..And finally, on one memorable night, he heard her cry of pleasure and that was the most beautiful sound that he ever heard in his life..Earlier on, he thought that his own satisfaction was the best thing that he could have felt, but when he saw and heard Elsie's moment of bliss, he knew that there couldn't be any better thing in the world.

From now on, he wanted to do that for the rest of his life. It was worth to wait, to be patience and inquisitive, to get to that moment...The moment when both he and Elsie, were more than eager to spent every free time together, in bed...He lived so many years alone, without love, without those kind of closeness and intimiate relations, but now, when he finally knew what it was like, he was aware, that he wouldn't have replaced it with anything else...  
Submerged in his thoughts, he didn't noticed when Elsie came back to the cottage...

“Elsie! You were suppose to call me, so I could pick you up...”

“Don't worry Charlie...The weather is so dreadful, that I thought that you shouldn't get out...It's so cold and Andy offered to walk me back home...”

“I'm glad that he did. It's so good that you are home now sweetie..I've missed you...”-he took her in his arms and showered her face with kisses..

“Well, I can see that I should go to the Abbey more often, if that is how you are going to greet me when I come back...You were daydreaming when I went back. What were you thinking about so intensively Charlie?”

“I was thinking how lucky I am, to have such a beautiful and loving wife, who I love to cherish every day and especially every night...”

“Mmmm...I like that..Speaking of night Charlie...You think that it would be anything wrong, if we postpone our dinner a bit and went upstairs now?”-Elsie asked flirtatiously, kissing his special place behind the ear...

“I'm more than happy with the arrangement my love...Let's go upstairs now!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all for today my friends. Hope you liked Charlie's musings too...And that you didn't find that a little boring...I promise, that I will try to include other characters in the next chapters too..I just so love to write those intimate moments of theirs, that I sometimes forget everything else...Anyway, as always, sorry for any possible mistakes. Let me know how it went and see you soon!


	9. Christmas traditions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone. So glad to be with you again. I have many ideas for new chapters in my head and I'm happy about it, because it means that we will be able to spent some more time together. The idea for this one, literally popped into my head few days ago, so here I am...It's already December, we are nearing Christmas- Charles and Elsie sit by the fire and do some little reminiscing about their past. Charles has a suggestion that will take Elsie by surprise...Hope you will like it.

Winter came to Downton village suddenly, without warning. On a very, frosty morning. When Charles and Elsie went to bed, it was still fall, when they woke up, it was already a winter wonderland. They didn't mind that at all. They took short walks everyday, to enjoy this time of the year. The air was so fresh and cool, that it would be a terrible waste to spent the days at home. They sometimes visited their friends at the Abbey.  
The household was slowly getting ready to the madness of Christmas season. Charles and Elsie were so glad, that for the first time, they will not participate in those events as the organizers. Whenever they walked back from the Abbey to their cottage, they were extremely pleased with the lack of responsibility for them.  
The days were short now. The dusk came early. Late afternoons, lazily transferring into evenings, were their favorite moment of the day. They usually cuddle up on the sofa, in front of the fire. Feeling blessed by such simple things, as cozy and warm cottage, a pot of hot tea and most of all, the presence of the beloved person by their side. Charles, as well as Elsie, were both enjoying those moments tremendously. They waited all their life, to have some time for themselves and now, being together, happy, relaxed and in love, there wasn't pretty much anything else that they were expecting from life...  
On one of those evenings, in the day when they came to visit Mrs Patmore, they both laughed at the confusion that they've witnessed today among the downstairs group...

“Elsie, don't you think that now, when we are not the heads of the household anymore, they really can't deal with anything? You saw how it all looked today...Thomas was completely confused, Mrs Patmore already was close to the panic attack and the rest was hustling and bustling without any sense of logic?”

“You are right Charlie...Something went very wrong...If they are like that already, three weeks before Christmas, then I don't know what they are going to do when Christmas actually arrives..”

“Obviously they would still need us to take care of everything. Otherwise the family may not celebrate Christmas as they deserve it.”

“You know what Charlie? I really don't care about that at all now..”

“You are not?”

“I know that you are worrying about your precious Lady Mary, but believe me, she will be fine..”

“I didn't mean her exactly. I was thinking generally about the whole family..”

“Charlie..You can fool anyone you want, except me..Don't forget, that I'm the one who knows you the longest..”

“That is true, my darling..That is true..You know me better than anyone does..”-Charles smiled warmly and hugged Elsie even closer than before...

“To tell you the truth my love, I'm more concerned about our Christmas...It will be the first Christmas in our cottage, that we will spend here, celebrating. Not working like crazy in the house..Do you have any idea how to spend them?”

“However do you like my precious sweetheart. I promise to make your every wish come true. Is there anything special you would like?”-Charles pressed his lips to Elsie's hair and she looked at him with an adoration in her eyes...

“Charlie..You are so sweet...You are serious about making my wishes come true?”

“You know that I do...You deserve to spend your first Christmas here however you like it..What would you like us to have?”

“Oh, Charlie..I was always dreaming about Christmas tree...We didn't have one here, in the cottage. There was never any time for this...”

“There will be no problem with that..There are plenty of spruces in the wood near the cottage, we can cut one of them and have it in our living room. Anything else my lovely?”

“We should buy some Christmas ornaments..You know Christmas baubles, stars, candy canes and maybe even a..”

“Elsie...Sweetie...”-Charles was laughing, seeing his wife's enthusiasm...You look like a child in a candy store now..Like a little girl, who is so excited for Christmas..It's nice to see you like this..”

“I'm sorry Charlie..I just...All my life, I was dreaming about having the perfect Christmas and I never really had ones...So now, I would like to have it all. I will talk to Mrs Patmore about some Christmas dishes, you now I'm still learning these things..I will need her help...”

“I'm sure you will be fine..I will help you..Can't wait for the Christmas pudding and mince pies..”

“I was thinking that we could ask some friends on Boxing Day. It's usually quiet in the house that day. I would like to ask Mrs Patmore and Mr Mason, Anna and Mr Bates, Andy and Daisy and Molseley with Mrs Baxter. Maybe Thomas too, if he won't have something better to do..”

“So basically you want to deprive the Abbey of all the staff?”

“You know that they are always visiting their neighbors on Christmas day and they don't come back until late evening. I'm sure they won't mind the staff having few hours off. And there is another bonus. If we will ask them, then you know that Mrs Patmore will probably bring lots of those Christmas cookies that you like so much...”

“Now, that's a solid argument. You've convinced me Els..”

“We never had any guests in my family house, when I was young...My father was not a very sociable man..What was your Christmas like Charlie, when you were little?”

“Oh, I had pretty lovely Christmas. My parents were not very rich but, father worked hard all November and December, to make sure that he could buy some nice gifts to everyone of us. It wasn't anything big, but he never forgot about it. He even dressed as the Santa, when we were younger. My younger brother was crying, when he saw him in that disguise..My mother and grandmother were always busy in the kitchen. Many days before and I got the privilege of cutting the tree with my dad, as the oldest son. I was so proud of that. Our family and friends always visited us on these days..It was joyous and enjoyable...”-Charles's face brighten up, when those happy memories came back to him and Elsie stroked his cheek tenderly..Her own memories were not that pleasurable...

“What about you Elsie? How was your Christmas, when you were little?”

“Not so happy as yours...My father...You know..I told you that he had a drinking problem and it got deepened as the years went by...We never had any money, because he used to drink most of his salary. He barley gave us any gifts and I don't remember having Christmas tree in the house...Sometimes at Christmas time, he drunk much more than usual, because he had few days off and then...He was violent..”

“Did he hurt you? Or your mum and your sister?”

“Not physically...Rather with words..You see, he was very frustrated, because he wanted to have a son, so when I was born, he was very disappointed, but he got over it, because he thought that his second child will be a boy...My mum had troubles with getting pregnant...When she finally did it, I was ten years old already, so I remember when Becky was born..My mum was not young anymore..When it turned out that Becky is a girl, my father was furious...He didn't even spoke to my mum for a very long time. My mum was devastated...And when he found out that Becky...That she is not completely normal..That was the last drop...Father became unbearable...He was drunk, aggressive and very unpleasant..He used to say horrible things to my mum, about not being able to give him a son...So many years have passed and I still remember that...Even during Christmas, there wasn't many happy memories for me..”

“Oh Elsie...I'm so sorry about that...I never knew that it was like that...You must have suffered a lot...No wonder you are dreaming of a lovely Christmas...We will have everything this year..Tree, ornaments, presents, whatever you will want, I will give it to you..”

“Charlie...You are my angel..I love you so much...”-Elsie raised her head, to give Charles a sweet kiss. There was much tenderness in this kiss, much more than ever....It was her way of saying “thank you” to her husband, for being a man with a golden heart..When they stopped, Elsie put her head on Charles's chest and she enjoyed that feeling of love and security, which he always provided for her, especially in this moment...

“Elsie...My love...I was meaning to ask you many times about that..What's your sister like?”

“Becky? She is a sweet, dear girl...She is not right in the head, but she is harmless...She is not dangerous or anything like that..She has a mind of a child..It's like she never went pass the child faze...You would have loved her, if you met her..”

“That's the thing Elsie...I was wondering...Now, when we are both retired..Would you like to visit Becky? I could go with you and finally met my sister in law..”

“Oh Charlie, would you really like that? For real?”

“Of course sweetie...There wasn't time for that when we were both working, but now there is no harm in meeting Becky. How do you think? We could visit her before Christmas. Maybe buy something nice for her and we could even get her here, to spent Christmas with us..”

“Charlie..”-Elsie had tears in her eyes, seeing her husband's concern of her little sister and her feelings...”You are the kindest man on this planet..You know that? If I knew that man like you exist, I wouldn't be dreading so much of the institution of marriage...”

“Were you dreading Elsie? Really?”

“Yes. I was...But you can't really blame me, when I had such a terrible father figure in my house...When you live with a man like this, as a little girl, you begin to think that all men are like that..When I saw how he treated my mother, I swore, that I will never let any man control my life like that..That was one of the reasons that I refused to marry Joe Burns, when he proposed to me for the first time..”

“And what was the reason of rejecting his proposal, when he proposed to you for the second time Elsie?”- Charles whispered, looking deeply in her eyes...

“You know very well what was the reason for that Charles Carson..That reason is sitting here, by my side...”-Elsie looked at Charles in a flirtatious way and placed tiny kisses all over his face...

“I may know it, but I would like to hear it from you Mrs Carson...”

“There is no reason to get sentimental Mr Carson..”-Elsie said teasingly, seeing his bewildered face..

“There is every reason for that Mrs Carson and I will prove it to you in a moment..”

“I would love you to do that...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all folks..A lot of talking and reminiscing in this chapter, but I thought it would be lovely to see into their past..Especially around Christmas time...Anyway, I'm planning to write another chapter about their visit to Becky's home care. Never dealt with that subject before, but I hope I will manage..As always-sorry for errors. Thank you for your time and see you soon!


	10. Visit at Becky's-part1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone...I'm so glad to be here with you again..I had rather awful days recently and I wasn't even able to focus on writing, but I figured that these two are the only one who can bring me back to life...As I promised in the last one, Charles and Elsie are to visit Becky in her home care. Because I have few plots to squeeze in here, I decided that this chapter will be divided into two subsections. One posted today and other hopefully tomorrow. Please forgive me if my writing will not be very good this time, my mind is still set on some difficult things.

Charles was sitting on the sofa, reading his book. It was another enjoyable evening at Carson's love nest. The room was warm and cozy, even though it was freezing and snowing outside. Charles was occupied with his book, but it didn't come unnoticed to him, that Elsie was rather restless tonight. She was hustling and bustling around the room, without any specific reason and he wondered what was that about. Whenever he saw Elsie in this state, he was anxious to inquire the reason of her behavior.

“Elsie, sugar,* what's going on? Why are you so restless today? Can I help you in any way?”

“It's fine Charlie...It's really nothing..”

“Elsie, please...Don't tell me it's fine, when I know that it isn't. I know you...Come here, sit by me...Tell me what's wrong?”

Elsie came closer and sat on the sofa beside him. She bit her lower lip and and Charles saw that she was struggling with some heavy, emotional problem. He drew her closer to him and put his arms around her, to keep her steady..

“Why are you so worried honey? Is it something I said again, that made you so sad?”-he kissed her temple lovingly...Looking at those blue eyes, that he adored the most in this world.

“No Charlie...Of course it's not something you said. If you have said something annoying, you know that I would probably rolled my eyes at you and made some sarcastic comments...”

“True enough. So do tell me-what is it?”

“To tell you the truth, I'm a little worried Charlie...”

“About what? “

“We are to visit Becky in two days and I'm a little concerned to be honest..”

“Concerned about what Elsie?”

“About you being there with me..”

“Elsie...But have already settled that we are going in there together. Everything will be all right. Why are you worried exactly?”

“It's difficult to predict Becky's behavior at times..Remember how I told you that she acts like a child and that's good from one reason, but at the same time it can be really frustrating. She throws tantrums when you least expect it. She does that with me, but I'm not sure how she is going to behave when she sees you...”

“Elsie..You needn't worry...Really..I will be all right...I'm sure that Becky will accept me. I will do everything I can, to have good relations with her.”

“I know that you will. You always know how to behave. I have no doubts about that at all. But if she behaves badly, I'm afraid that you will be disgusted by her actions.”

“I will not...Elsie. I know the situation...I understand.”

“No, you don't. You have never known anybody like her before..”

“That's true, but I will be all right. And you will be all right too...You'll see. Will manage somehow. Are you maybe afraid that she will be mad at you for not visiting for so long?”

“Oh no, I'm not worried about that at all. Becky is really like a small child..She doesn't know the term of time...For her, it may seem that I was there yesterday, but it's true that I haven't visited her for a very long time. I'm a bad sister..”

“Now, that's not true Elsie and you know it. It was understandable that you couldn't visit her often when you were working, but still, you are providing your sister the best possible care..”

“And that is where you are wrong Charlie...You are the one that provides a care for her. Ever since I retired, you are paying for her care and you know how grateful I am for that..”

“Elsie...Sweetheart...We established that we are not going to go back to that subject anymore...Of course I am and I will pay for her care. She is your sister, your family and mine too now.”

“Charlie...You are such a dear man..So kind and gentle..”-Elsie placed few loving kisses to Charles's cheek and nose..

“Mmmm..That feels so nice love...Please don't repeat your statement to the Downton staff, because I will loose my reputation of the stern butler and I wouldn't want that...”

“You think that you will ever need that again Charlie? You are not a butler anymore and I don't expect that you will go back to your duties...”

Who knows Elsie? Who knows? Life brings us unexpected surprises sometimes..”

“Oh, Am I to understand that you are tired with me already and you would rather go back to your job than to be with me?”

“Els...You know that I'm not tired with you..I never will be..It would be impossible...”

They looked at each other and they started to kiss..Elsie wrapped her arms around Charles's neck, running her fingers through his hair..She loved doing that..To feel his thick, grey hair between her fingers. Her other hand was caressing his scalp gently and he groaned with satisfaction..Every touch from her elicited shivers and warmth wave in his body...He adored when she touched him..The combination of her sweet lips and soft hands, was enough to drive him wild instantly...  
When she stopped and she withdrew from their kiss, he couldn't hide his disappointment..

“Why did we stop exactly?”

“It's high time to prepare dinner, don't you think so love?”

“Who cares about dinner, when I have such beautiful woman in my arms? Dinner can wait, I have more interesting plans for now...”**

But Charlie, I need to...I should...We ought to...Oh Charlie...”-Elsie gave up talking with full sentences, when she felt her husband's lips on her neck...His tongue licked her in the place around her pulse, which always made her mad with desire..She was lost to the world completely and he knew that she will be, as soon as he doing that...That was the purpose of his actions. Soon enough, they were both without clothes, lying on the plush carpet, in front of the fireplace and making love...Exactly the way they liked it best..Slowly, sensually, pouring all the love they had for each other to the act...  
When they finished, they lied naked, with tangled arms. Happy, relaxed and sated...

Elsie put her head on his chest, feeling that she would never want to leave his arms again..It was her favorite place in the whole world...She indulged him, by kissing his broad chest, with soft hair chest affectionately...Charles smiled wildly..He loved when his wife was bestowing his body with those kind of sweet caresses..He would have done everything, just so she wouldn't stop doing that...  
Elsie nestled her head in his neck, under his chin and listened to his breath...They were lying for a while like this, when Charles was struck with a sudden thought...

“Elsie sweetie...Don't you think that it would be a good idea if I get some present for Becky? It would help us to break the ice during our first meeting..”

“Charlie..That is marvelous idea! I love it..But honey, are you sure that you want to spent more money on Becky? Paying for her care already? Won't it be too much?”

“Of course not Elsie...I will be more than happy to give Becky a present..Just tell me what would be the best choice. What will she like?”

“To tell you the truth, she is happy everytime she gets some toy. She is like a little girl, so toys and chocolates are always welcome.”

“Toy and chocolates it is then. We will go to Bakewell's tomorrow and see what he has in his offer.”

“Thank you Charlie...You are my man...The best man that I could ever ask for...Thank you for taking care of my little sister..”

“There is no need to thank me Elsie..You and Becky are my family..The only family that I've got..”

“So it's not the Crawley's anymore and precious Lady Mary?”

“No...The lovely Hughes sisters are my family now and that's how it always will be..”

Many people from the village must have been really amazed the next day, when they saw Mr and Mrs Carson, coming of the Bakewell's store, with a big Victorian doll in their hands and a box of the finest Swiss chocolates. Everyone was wondering, why do they need such items, but it was Charles's and Elsie's little secret...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all for the firs part of Becky's visit. Tomorrow we will go through the visit itself. I was expecting to have difficulties in writing today, but as I started the words seemed to flow with a quite, nice stream..I hope that the result isn't to dreadful. It's not for me to judge that ;-) Sorry for any errors and if you liked it...See you soon (probably tomorrow).
> 
> *I was hesitating a bit with using this new endearment “sugar”, but I figured, why not? After all, they can't call each other sweetie and honey all the time ;-)  
> **I hope that I will see a scene in DA once when Charles puts his sweet moments with Elsie above the food, but it will not probably happen as long as uncle Julian will write a script, so...I'm here to correct him ;-)


	11. Visit at Becky's-part2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dear people. Lovely to be here with you. So, yesterday I posted a first part of visit at Becky's, although I never got to the visit itself (as usually I got distracted by Chelsie activities ;-) ;-) But today we are going through it. Hope you will like my take on that.

The train was slowly approaching to their destination. They were both dressed elegantly, submerged in their thoughts. Charles felt that stress began to reach him, as they got nearer to Lytham St Annes, to meet Elsie's sister. What if Elsie was right? What if Becky will be intimidated by his presence and will make some scene? He was not used to being around people of that kind. He wasn't sure how to behave. The only thing he was sure of, was that he can't let Elsie down. Not in any case. After all, Becky was the only family she got. He decided that he must try to bring the best out of this visit.

Elsie was even much more nervous than Charles. She knew Becky very well and although she loved her dearly, she was aware of her constant change of mood at times. She wasn't worried about herself, for her it was nothing new, but what if Charles will get really appalled by this? She would do anything to spare him any unpleasant moments. He was such a sweetheart, paying for Becky's care. What other man would accept such arrangement? Being generous as he was, he still spent his money to buy a present for Becky, just to make her little sister happy. Elsie was looking through the train window, thinking about how lucky she was and a faint trace of smile appeared on her face.  
Charles observed Elsie and he sensed all her thoughts. After all, who knew her better than he did? He always knew what she was thinking, how she was going to react, if he says or do this and that. They both knew each other's thoughts and reactions, better than anyone else in this world. Even though he was a bundle of nerves himself, he knew that she was twice as nervous, so he squeezed her hand gently, just to give her courage..She looked at him amazed. They were alone in a train compartment, but still it was rather unlikely for Charles to show her affection in a public place.

“Elsie...Don't worry so much. It will all be all right. Becky will be happy to see you.”

“I know she will, but I'm hoping that she will be happy to see you too.”

“I'm sure she will and if she won't, I have two things that may convinced her.”

“You charmer! You know how to persuade woman to adore you...”

“Do I really? Nice to know that Mrs Carson..”

“You do, most certainly. Becky has never got such a beautiful doll in her life. Our father would never bought any present for her.”

“Don't think about harsh things now Elsie. Concentrate on meeting with your sister.”

“You are right Charlie...I was thinking that maybe it would be a good idea, if I come to her first, alone and explain her the situation. She may feel confused, if we walked together. She is not very trustful with strangers.”

“All right Els. You know the best what to do...But then again, don't you always?”

“You really think so?”

“I accepted that fact long time ago..My wife always knows best. Some things simply cannot be changed.”

“And that's how it should be. Why change something that it's perfect?”

They smiled to each other and squeezed their hands. The train was already driving on the platform. After they got out of the train, they took a short walk to the home care, which was luckily situated only about seven minutes away from the station.  
They stood in front of the building and Elsie sighed deeply, preparing herself for the meeting with Becky. They went through the corridors and soon got to the door of the room, in which Becky lived. Elsie asked Charles to wait outside, with the gifts and she went in.

When she entered the room, Becky was drawing something with crayons, sitting at the table by the window. Elsie's heart was jumping like crazy and she felt like crying, when she saw her little sister. She seemed quite unchanged from the last time they met. She looked at her for few more moments and then she called her name:

“Hello Becky girl..”

Becky turned her head into Elsie's direction immediately and a wide smile appeared on her face. She ran towards Elsie, with her arms wide open.

“Essie, my Essie is here! My sister...”-She clung to Elsie and Elsie was now openly swallowing the tears of emotions. 

“I've missed you my little sis...How are you”

“I'm ok. Have you brought me something Essie? Chocolates? I want chocolates!”

“In a moment pet. Let me say hello to you. You look so nice Becky..”

“You look nice too Essie. Will you play with me? I'm drawing a picture for you. I knew you would come today and I draw a picture for you.. You wanna see it?”

“Sure honey. Let me see it. What is it?”

“A house. Our house Essie. And her is me and you and Ma and Da...”

“That is a lovely drawing sweetie.”

“It's for you. You can take it with you Essie...”

“I will be happy to take it with me...Becky, there is something I need to tell you...”

“What Essie?”

“I brought somebody with me and I would like you to meet him..”

“Who is it Essie?”

“His name is Charles Carson and he is my husband.”

“Husband?”-Becky's face frowned, like she was thinking intensely, wondering and trying to understand what her sister was telling her.

“Yes baby. A husband. You know. Like Da was a husband for Ma, Charles is my husband.”

“Who is he for me Essie?”

“Well, he is your brother in...-Elsie suddenly stopped her thought, realizing that she won't be able to explain to Becky an idea of brother in law-”He is your brother Becky”

“But I don't have a brother, only a sister- Essie. Why are you lying to me Essie?-Becky started to get irritated, as she always was, when she had troubles with understanding something and Elsie was frightened, thinking that the conversation went in the wrong direction. She had to smooth Becky's irritation at once..

“Becky, sweetie, remember how you always wanted a brother when you were little? To teach you how to climb on trees and play ball with you? So now you got one...Charlie wants to meet you very much and he is waiting outside the room, to see you. Is it ok if I let him in here?”

Becky was silent, hesitating a little and Elsie thought that she needed a stronger argument.

“He has some presents for you pet. Would you like to see them?”

“A presents? For me? Essie! Let him in! Let him in!”-she was clapping her hands, dancing from joy around the room. 

Elsie went outside, to the corridor and asked the frightened Charles to go in. He took the doll and the chocolates and went inside with Elsie.

“Becky-this is my husband Charles. Or Charlie. He is your brother now. Would you like to say hello?”

“Hello..”-Becky was very shy and she looked at Charles mistrustfully.

“Hello Becky. It's really nice to meet you.”

“You are Essie's husband?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Like Da was for Ma?”

“Yes Becky.”

“You love Essie?”

“Yes Becky. I love Elsie very much and I'm hoping to be your friend. Do you want to be my friend?”

“Yes...I will be your friend Chalie...”

“I have something for you.”-Charles handed the doll and chocolates to Becky and they both saw with relief, how happy she was.

“A doll! A big doll for me! Essie! Chalie gave me the doll. Can I keep it?”

“Of course you can sweetie. It's for you...Charlie bought it especially for you..Will you say thank you to him?”

“Thank you Chalie....”-Charles was astound, when Becky suddenly put the doll away and she nestled to him. Elsie couldn't stop her tears, when she saw that scene. Her little sister and her husband have certainly broke the ice of their first meeting. She discretely wiped her tears away, looking as Charlie was hugging Becky.

The rest of the visit was really enjoyable. Becky was playing with the doll and eating chocolates, giving much more attention to Charles than to Elsie. When it was time to go back, Elsie neared her sister and she stroked her hair gently..

“We have to go now lass. We can't miss our train.”

“But you won't take the doll away?”

“No baby. The doll stays with you.”

“Thank you. I will call her Essie.”

“It's a beautiful name for the doll Becky.”

“Take care my little sister. I will come and see you soon. Will you miss me?”

“I will. Come back quickly Essie. Will Chalie come with you too?”

“Would you like him to come back?”

“Yes! Yes! Yes! I want Chalie to come back! He is my brother! Will you visit me Chalie?”

“Of course I will Becky. We will both visit you very soon.”

“Bye sweetie.”-Elsie kissed her sister.

“Bye Essie, bye Chalie..”

Charles and Elsie were coming back home with a light heart, talking about the events. When they got back to the cottage, Charles was quickly lighting the fire and Elsie was preparing a warm meal for them , as they were both frozen and hungry.  
When they ate it, they sat on the sofa, with cups of hot tea in their hands. They were both pretty tired, but happy at the same time.

“No doubt about it Charlie. You've captured my sister's heart completely. She barely noticed my presence for the most of the visit.”

“Well my darling, obviously I have that special charm in me, that seems to have a tremendous effect on Hughes sisters.”

“It's seems that you do my love...Thank you..From the bottom of my heart.”-Elsie nestled into Charles closely. She gave him the sweetest kiss.

“Anything for you my heart...I'm always there to take care of you and Becky. You both won't run short of anything, as long as I live.”

I know we won't. I never felt so safe and secure in my life, as I feel now Charlie...If only...If only I could have that feeling earlier...”

“I know Elsie...It's all my fault that we got together so late...We missed on so many things because of that...But I promise you, that I will do anything to make you feel safe and happy, as long as we are together...I love you honey...”

“And I love you my dearest man..Always”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That is all for today folks. It wasn't easy to write it, but I'm happy that I did it. I know something about the difficulty of handling people with mental disabilities..It's not always as easy, as it was with Becky, but since it's a fiction, it should be light and easy. I hope you liked it a bit. Sorry for any mistakes and see you soon!


	12. Perfect Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello all. I'm so glad to be back. It's been a week from hell for me, but there is no better way to get back to balance, than writing another chapter about my lovely sweethearts. This is going to be a Christmas chapter and again, I decided to divide it into two subsections. In this one-we will have Christmas preparations and Christmas Eve, celebrated by Charles and Elsie and other chapter will include a fun party on Boxing Day, with the rest of the downstairs team. Hope you will like it.

“Els, why are you so depressed honey?”

“I just spoken to doctor Morrow, you know, the one who takes care of Becky”

“Is there something wrong? Is Becky ok?”

“She is fine, but you remember how we were thinking about having her here for Christmas. I told him about that and he said it would not be a good idea. He feels that it would disturb her balance to spent Christmas away from the place that she knows and feels secure in.”

“I'm sorry Elsie. You must be disappointed with this.”

“I am rather...I was hoping that she could stay with us...You wouldn't mind, would you?”

“Of course not! I would be happy to spent Christmas with your sister.”

“But the doctor told that they usually organize something fun for the their patients. There are presents, big tree, singing Carols together and even Santa. She wouldn't have it here..”

“That's true, unless I would dress as Santa”*

“Now, that is something what I would really like to see my love”-Elsie climbed on her toes and kissed her husband on the cheek.

“I would be a perfect Santa. Don't you think so?”

“I don't know about that Charlie...You know that Santa is a jolly old man and you my dear, normally tend to be a little grumpy...”

“That depends from the circumstances. I'm not, when I'm around my wife..Especially when I'm alone with her in our bed. I don't get grumpy at all then.”-Charles wrapped his arms around Elsie and planted kisses all over her face.

“Well, one thing is certain Charlie...You have an attribute which would indeed make you a perfect Santa”

“And what's that?”

“A big, round belly”-Elsie burst into laughter, as she saw a frustrated expression on her husband'd face.

“You naughty woman! No presents from Santa this year!”

“Not even one? Not even if I will say pretty please to my lovely Santa?”

“Well, maybe...”

“Not even when I will tell him that in fact I like his round belly very much...”-Elsie looked her husband in the eyes, with loving expression, stroking gently the part of his body that they were talking about. Elsie neared her face to Charles and gave him the sweetest kiss and she knew that it will soothe him...

“You won Els..As always...Mmmm...I love you sweetie, so very much...”

“I love you too..All of you..Even the belly..It's a great cushion for my head at night..”

“That's the thing I love about you my wifey...You always see positives everywhere...Don't worry about Becky. We will speak with the doctor and maybe we will convince him to take her for few days, after Christmas. Let her play with her friends in home care during Christmas and she can still visit us later.”

“You are right Charlie..If they have presents and Santa, she would be disappointed if she missed it all. Besides, we are planning to have guests on Boxing Day and Becky doesn't cope good with big crowds. She might feel insecure..”

“Are you sure about that Elsie? About the idea of having so many people?”

“Of course I am..We are spending Christmas day alone and there will be a healthy balance to spent Boxing Day with our friends..Don't you miss them all a bit?”

“Well, maybe a bit..I won't deny...”

“It's settled then. We should do something about the decorations. Our cottage doesn't say that Christmas are coming..”

“Els, I promised you that we will have a decorations from your dreams this Christmas and I intend to keep that promise! Tomorrow we will go to the village and buy anything that you will like, my love..”

“Charlie...You are really my Santa...So generous and kind...That must mean that I was a good girl after all this year..”

“You were. Most of the time...Although I have to say that I kind of like when you are a naughty girl too..In fact I even prefer you that way...”

“Mr Carson! If anyone from the Abbey hear you right now...”

“Fortunately, we are all alone and that is what I like the most”

“Me too...And I will have a special gift for my Santa too...”

“Uhmm...Can't wait...But I can't possibly imagine a better gift than my wife's sweet love, that I already have..”

“That won't be as sweet as me, but I can assure you that it will be very loveable too...”

“A woman of mystery you are Els..”

“If ever there was one..”-They both laughed and cuddle, happy with the thought of upcoming Christmas...

The next day...

They went shopping next day and Elsie found out that Charles was not kidding about making her every wish come true. They bought a lot of stuff. Garlands, red ribbons, different kind of Christmas ornaments. They went back home, looking like two elves, who are bringing Christmas joy. On their way home, they stopped by Mrs Sprockett house, to rest for a while. She was their old friend, who was an enormous dog lover and she currently was very proud, as her female dog just gave birth to three sweet puppies recently. She was known all around her neighborhood, as the lady who was the best inbreeder. While Elsie stood for few minutes, chatting with Mrs Sprockett, Charles was playing with the dogs, by throwing sticks to them. Elsie noticed how much fun it was for him and a crazy idea came to her head...  
When they said goodbye to Mrs Sprockett and went back on their way, Charles was so excited and kept talking about the puppies all the time. From all three of them, Rupert was the one who captured his heart. He was the only male in this cluster.  
As they were walking through the wood, near their cottage, Elsie suddenly noticed a small kitten, who was hiding behind the tree. Her heart clenched, as it was the middle of the winter and it was a small kitten...

“Look Charlie...There is a kitten out there..Poor baby...It's so cold..It's probably cold and hungry. Oh Charlie, can we take it home, please? To keep it warm?”

“If you want to Elsie, we will, just try to catch him. I have to many parcels in my hands to do that.”

Elsie cautiously put her purchases on the ground and she went towards the kitten, but it ran away and she was so sad about it. They went back home and Charles helped Elsie to put all the things they bought in order, but soon Elsie saw that Charles started to get dressed again.

“Charlie, where are you going? We just went back from the village?”

“I'm going to cut one of the spruce trees. After all, Christmas Eve is tomorrow and we have all those lovely ornaments, but we still don't have the most important thing-the tree.”

“Ok. But hurry home darling. It is going to be dark soon.”

“It won't take long, I promise. Just need to take my axe from the wood shed.”

Charles went outside and Elsie kept herself busy, with organizing the ornaments. She was lost in the wonderful world of Christmas joy.  
About half an hour later, Charles was already coming back from the wood, dragging a perfect, green, spruce tree behind him. He stopped at the wood shed, to put away his axe, but what Elsie was not aware of, was that he brought something else to the shed as well...

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, Charles and Elsie were incredibly happy. They worked together for the most of the day. Sharing kitchen work and decorating their house. By the early afternoon, the cottage looked like a jolly, Christmas place and Elsie couldn't stop the tears, which gathered in her eyes. Charles noticed it and he hugged his wife closely...

“Els..Sweetie..Is this the way you wanted it to be? This is how you've imagined all this?”

“Yes Charlie...This is exactly how I imagined this or even better...I can't thank you enough, for making my dream come true..You have no idea how happy you made me with all this..”

“You have no idea how happy you made me everyday Elsie...As happy, as I could have never imagined it...”

They kissed delicately, hugging closely...The sweet moment was however soon interrupted...

“Oh, I can see Andy is coming. Good. I was waiting for him.”

“Why is Andy coming here?”

“I have to go to the Abbey, to get the Christmas pudding from Mrs Patmore...I know you won't imagine Christmas Eve dinner without a pudding and I'm not good cook enough to prepare it for you, so I asked Andy to come here and accompany me to the house, where I can get it from Mrs Patmore.”

“Why didn't Andy brought it here? Why do you have to go to the Abbey?”

“I wanted to see Beryl, to wish her a Merry Christmas...”

“Elsie..There is something you are not telling me here..”

“Whenever you mind Charlie...Just trust me...And by the way, you are not also telling me why you are going to the wood shed every hour, since yesterday?”

“Be patient Elsie...That's all I'm asking...You will find out tonight...”

“Why tonight?”

“Because I thought that we can open our presents tonight. Why wait till tomorrow?”

“Excellent idea Charlie. I'm going now. I won't be long. Just do not peep through the window, when I will get back.”

“I promise, I won't.”

Elsie went with Andy and Charles stayed alone and he sat comfortably in the chair, enjoying the peace and quiet. He didn't know how it happened, but soon he felt asleep and when he woke, it was completely dark outside and he saw Elsie was setting the table for dinner.

“Els, honey, you are back already? I didn't hear you.”

“I know. You were sleeping like a baby and that's good because I could bring the present inside.”

“What is it Els?”

“Just wait a minute Charlie...You will find out after supper. Patience! Now, please pile some wood to the fireplace, it's really freezing outside and we have to keep warm. I'm going to take a bath and you can go after me and then we will have our Christmas supper.”

“I'm all for that plan Elsie...Did you get the pudding from Mrs Patmore?”

“I did. It's here. Your favorite. If you have some present for me, please don't hesitate to wrap it in the paper now Charlie.”

“I take the hint my love.”

Elsie went upstairs to have her bath. She changed into one of hers and Charles favorite dresses-the color of red wine. She only used that dress for some special occasions and tonight was definitely one of those occasions.  
Charles followed her and soon he came downstairs dressed in his grey suit, with a blue shirt, the one that Elsie liked so much. They sat by the table, enjoying all the delicious Christmas food, made almost entirely by Elsie herself, with a little help and clues from Mrs Patmore.

“Elsie, the food is delicious...I never thought that I would say that one day, but you are slowly becoming a proficient cook. Soon you will be as good cook as Mrs Patmore.”

“Thank you honey..But please don't mention that on Boxing Day, in Beryl's presence. She would be devastated.”

“I won't. I promise..Is it presents time already?”

“I think it can be. But have you been a good boy this year?”

“I was, for most of the time, I'm afraid...”

“Just let me clean after dinner my love and then the nice part will be ahead of us.”

“I will help you Elsie. That way we can open our presents faster.”

“I have nothing against that Charlie.”

Soon, the kitchen was all cleaned up. Charles and Elsie went to the separate corners of the cottage, to bring the presents that they bought for each other.  
They sat comfortably on the sofa, in front of the fireplace and Elsie opened her present first. She was speechless, when she saw that Charles bought her a beautiful porcelain figurine, of a balerina, that she liked so much in the gift shop they visit, when they were in Ripon last time. She dreamt about it, but she didn't want to expose Charles for spending a considerable amount of money.

“Charlie...I can't believe this.. You bought me the balerina...It's so beautiful, but it was so expensive...”

“I don't care about money Els...It was worth to spent it, to see your face at the moment..How happy you are..I saw how you were looking at the figurine, when we were at Ripon...”

“Thank you my love..It's the most precious present that I ever got. I will put it in the cabinet, at the honor place, so all people could see how generous husband I have...Thank you..I love you..”

“I love you my sweetheart...I would have given you the whole world, if I could...”

They kissed again, caressing their faces gently...

“There is no need for that Charlie, because you are my whole world...” They looked at each other with utter adoration..”Now it's time for yours...”

Charles impatiently unwrapped the paper in his gift and he saw the beautiful silver cufflinks, that he was looking at, when they were in Ripon. Elsie noticed that and she secretly bought them for him. There was also the second present-a book about wine kinds-the topic which Charles always found very interesting.

“Elsie, I don't know what to say sweetheart...I'm touched...I liked those cufflinks a lot, when we were at Ripon”

“I know. I saw how much you liked them and I thought-why not?”

“And the book. Can't wait to read it..”

“You are not the butler anymore, but we still drink wine. I figured that it may become handy.”

“Of course it will. Thank you Elsie. But you know, I have one more present for you, but I have to go to the wood shed to get it.”

“What a coincidence! I have one more present for you too! I just need to go to the pantry.”

“Ok. Just wait till I get you mine first.”

Charles went outside and after a while, he came back carrying a little thing under his arm. A little, fluffy and fury thing, that was meowing loudly.

“Oh my God Charlie! The kitten! The kitten that we saw in the woods yesterday! How did you catch it?”

I took some milk in the dish with me and it came to drink it, so I figured that we can't let something that little, alone in the wood, in the middle of the winter..”

“My precious sweetheart..Come to me..”-Elsie took the kitten into her arms and put it on her chest. It wasn't meowing so loudly anymore, but instead it began to purr.

“I knew you will be pleased Elsie. I see how you always adored kittens. You were feeding like a ten of them, when we were at Downton.”

“That's true. I always loved kittens. I wanted to have a kitty as a girl, but my father never let me and then I could never have one, as I wasn't living in my own house.”

“But now you are and the kitten is yours .Ours, that is.”

“Charlie, you are a darling. We can really keep it?”

“We can. It's ours. It will live with us in the cottage. How do you want to call it?”

“I think the name Fluffy would be suitable, don't you agree?”

“Fluffy that is.”

“But Charlie, I'm afraid that we will have a little problem here..”

“What problem Els?”

“Because I also have one more present for you and I'm afraid that it will be difficult to reconcile it..”

“I don't understand Elsie?”

“Here. Just please hold Fluffy and I will show you.”

Elsie handed the kitten to Charlie and went towards the pantry. She came back after a while, carrying a basket, tied up with a big, blue ribbon. Inside the basket there was...Rupert...The puppy that captured Charles's heart so much..

“Elsie! That is...Oh my God, it's..”

“Yes Charlie. It's little Rupert. I got it for you from Mrs Sprockett.”

Elsie took Fluffy from Charles's arms and let him enjoyed the puppy, who immediately started to waggle his tail, as soon as he saw him...

“Oh Elsie..That is such a wonderful gift! But do you think that we can put them together? That they will agree?”

“There is only one way to find that out Charlie...Please put the basket on the floor and I will put Fluffy there too.”

Charles put the basket on the floor and Elsie put the cat next to the dog. They held their breaths, waiting for what was going to happen, but to their amazement, the dog and the cat, after they sniffed each other cautiously, seemed to get along great. Fluffy put his paw out, to get to know Rupert and the dog was nudging the cat with his nose.

Charles and Elsie looked at that with relief and joy. Their family was now complete. They gave something to eat and some milk to both of their favorites and they watched as they were playing together and getting to know their new home.

“Charlie..This is the best Christmas Eve that I had in my life...I have never been so happy before and all thanks to you..My gorgeous, loving husband...”

“I could say exactly the same sugar...This is the best Christmas Eve that I ever had...And you know what would made it a little better? If we could go upstairs now, to bed..?”

“What about the pets? Where will they sleep?”

“I think that this problem is already solved honey. Just take a look at them...”

Elsie turned her head and she saw that Rupert was sleeping soundly in his basket, with purring Fluffy by his side. That picture was so incredibly sweet, that it brought a smile into Charles and Elsie's faces.

“That is the sweetest thing that I have ever seen...”

“Not so sweet as you baby...Can we? Now?..”

“We can...”

They hurried upstairs and lied on their bed. Charles wanted to close the curtains, but Elsie asked him not to do it. There was a beautiful landscape in front of their eyes. The snow was falling with a big snowflakes. The whole world was quiet and peaceful...They lied in their arms, watching this wonderful phenomenon. Charles turned his head towards Elsie and looked her in the eyes with pure love, as did she. They started to kiss-lightly and gently, but soon their kisses transferred into more passionate ones, as the heat started to arose in both of them.  
Soon they got rid of their clothes and began to make love. Slowly, delicately, enjoying sensual small kisses and unhurried caresses. The ideal mixture of love and desire..Charles cherished Elsie's body. Discovering again, all the places that he knew so well by now, but still found them impossible to resist. Elsie reciprocated, giving Charles all the deepness of her affection. The time stood still, as they lost themselves in the enormity of their love. When they both reached their glorious climaxes, Charles put his head on her soft breasts, listening to the beating of her heart and he stroked her naked hip. Elsie placed kisses into his hair and she scratched his arm lightly, because she knew how much he adored it.  
They felt so peaceful and safe, as they lied in each other's arms, watching the falling snow...

“Oh Charlie...We are so lucky...We couldn't have possibly asked for anything more, could we?”

“We couldn't Els. Besides, I don't want anything more my love...I only want your love and tenderness Elsie. I need only you in my life. I've missed you so many years and I dreamt of being with you like we are now...”

That makes two of us Charlie...Because I was dreaming about this too..For a very long time..Dreaming about perfect Christmas, my own cottage, but most of all dreaming about having my beloved man with me...There is nothing more I need...Thank you for making my all wishes come true..I love you Charlie..

“And I love you Elsie...Thank you for being the most beautiful dream that had come true...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all my lovelies...I know. It was a really long chapter..But I just couldn't stop writing after a week of break from writing..I felt like a an addict on rehab ;-) I sincerely hope, that I didn't bore you today..It was funny writing about Christmas in July, but sweet and loving Elsie, cat, dog and all the presents made it better. Sorry for any mistakes. If you liked it, please let me know. See you soon! (Tomorrow hopefully).  
> *Writing this I couldn't help but thinking about the lovely “Downton Santa” which is available on Youtube. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it. Carson is indeed the perfect Santa ;-)


	13. Perfect Christmas-2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello dear friends. I'm glad you are still here, with me and the story. Yesterday's chapter was really long and I will try to make today's shorter, but sometimes I'm like a tank-when I start to write Chelsie, nothing can stop me ;-) In this one we will go through Christmas Day and Boxing Day with the downstairs crew as the guests.

Christmas Day woke them up with a solid freezing outside and lots of snow.It was snowing hard all night and the world was looking like a winter wonderland. Elsie woke up first and she smiled seeing the view. She loved every season, but winter was exceptionally beautiful to admire. She saw the sleeping form of her husband, still snoring lightly and even warmer smile appeared on her face. Elsie loved Charles with all her heart and she was still amazed, that he was so generous and didn't care about the costs, just to make her happy and to give her the Christmas that she always dreamed of..  
She stroke his cheek gently and he began to stir and woke up slowly...

“Mmmm..Good morning sweetie..What time it is?”

“Good morning my sweet love....It's 8.30...Merry Christmas..”

“Merry Christmas Elsie...”

They've exchanged a soft kiss...

“Did you sleep well honey?”

“I did, as never before....Thanks to my lovely husband and his kind heart..”

“Elsie...I have slept like a baby too...Thanks to the love of my wife....”

“I need to get up Charlie. To take care of the pets. They are probably hungry..I can hear them making noise downstairs. Got to feed them and make breakfast for us...We should be able to be on time in church, for the ceremony at 10..”

“Do we have to get up? Can't we just stay in bed and celebrate Christmas all alone?”

“As much enticing as it sounds, we can't...The pets need us. Our friends from the village would be surprised, if we didn't attend the Christmas ceremony at church...You need to take Rupert for a walk when we get back and I have to make lunch and we need to think about tomorrow's party and...”

“Come on Els...It's Christmas...Is there something wrong about wanting to spent Christmas Day with my lovely wife, all alone..?”-Charles asked innocently, planting light kisses to her bare shoulder, heading towards her neck...His lips were warm and soft and he inhaled her scent, that he adored so much...

“There is nothing wrong about that Charlie, but we can't let everyone down..We are not alone in this world..”

“Sometimes I really wish we would...”

“We will have all afternoon and evening to ourselves..”

“And that's the only thing that keeps me alive...”

Elsie laughed, seeing her husband's frustration and she got up, before he had a chance of convincing her to stay in bed..She knew how convincing he could be...  
Charles got up too. Elsie went downstairs and took care of both pets, who were more than happy to see her. As always, Elsie managed to prepare breakfast, feed the pets and prepare herself for the church swiftly and with no troubles.  
They ate a light breakfast and went to the church at ten o clock ceremony. The church was beautifully decorated and it was nice to see all of their friends dressed up elegantly.  
The sermon was exceptionally long this time and Charles felt a little bored with it. To make his time more pleasurable, he stroke Elsie's fingers, all throughout it and she couldn't hide her smile. It was quite charming, how her lovely husband couldn't stop himself from touching her, even in the church.  
After the ceremony, they've exchanged few pleasantries with their friends and went back home. It was still snowing. The world was quiet, beautiful and the walk they had was very pleasant.  
When they came back home, Elsie started to prepare a Christmas lunch and Charles took Rupert for a walk and spent some time, playing with the dog outside. When they came back home, they were both covered in snow completely and Elsie joked that she will have to scold them for ruining the cleanliness of her floor.  
They sat by the table and enjoyed the food. While Rupert and Fluffy were eating their food from their bowls. Charles's appetite was enormous, as usual and he again praised Elsie's developing skills as the cook.  
When they finished eating, Elsie cleaned the table, kitchen and she took the book from the library, which was particularly close to her heart- “A Christmas Carol” by Dickens,which she use to read every Christmas, ever since she remembered.  
Charles sat comfortably on the sofa, extremely relaxed after lunch and as soon as Elsie joined him, he drew her near him, taking her in his arms. He wrapped his arms around her and she put her head on his chest...

“Christmas Carol Elsie? Again? Don't you ever get bored with this?”

“Never. It's my tradition. I always read it on Christmas Day. Don't you like Dickens Charlie?”

“I like it, but not as much as you do...Will you read it to me out loud?”

“Oh, I see you remembered how I read to you when you were ill. You must have liked it a bit...”

“I did. I liked it a lot. Will you read me?”

“I will. My big boy..Just put some more wood to the fireplace.”

Charles did what Elsie asked him to. Rupert lied comfortably in his basket and Fluffy lied next to him. Charles nestled into Elsie. He put his head on her breasts and she started to read to him. With one hand she was holding the book and with the other one she was massaging the base of his scalp, making him purr in satisfaction. He loved every of her various touches, but especially this one. Her delicate, slim fingers touching his scalp, always sent shivers of excitement down his spine...  
When she finished reading to him, she put the book on the table and looked at him. His eyes were closed and he had that blissful expression on his face, which he usually had, when they were nestling so closely.   
Elsie kissed the top pf his head lovingly. She smiled to herself, thinking that all these years, when they were working together, she would have never thought, that they will end like this. Hugging on the sofa, in their own cottage. Surrounded with love and safety. She put few more sweet kisses into his hair and he opened his eyes, looking at her with love in his eyes...

“Elsie...What have I done to deserve you?”

“You must have done something right Charlie..What have I done to deserve you, I wonder?”

“Well, I don't know if you can be satisfied with old, grumpy man that I am..”

“I can assure you Charles, that I'm more than satisfied with you..Will you switch on the Christmas lights please? It will get dark soon and I want to look at our beautiful Christmas tree...”

Charles stood up from the couch and followed Elsie's favor. When he went back to the sofa, they hugged each other again and sat in silence, looking at Christmas lights on their beautiful tree.

“Aren't you hungry love? Maybe I should make you something?”

“No sweetheart. I'm still full after lunch and we yet have dinner ahead. Amazing how much food a man can eat during Christmas.”

“I'm not hungry either. I should probably get to some preparations for today's party. We will have quite a lot of guests on lunch tomorrow.”

“But that's tomorrow Elsie..We have plenty of time and you got most of the food prepared..”-Charles said, covering her face and neck with kisses. Her sweet floral scent drove him wild slowly, but effectively..

“Charlie...We can't now...There is so much to be done...So many important details and decisions..”-Elsie's objections began to fail, as she felt her husband's lips moving along the skin of her neck..His hot breath caressed her neck and his hands touched the curves of her body...

“Yes Elsie...So many important details..One by one...And so many decisions...For example, if I should kiss you from your head to your toes or should I do it other way round..?”-Charles unbuttoned the top part of her dress...

“Charlie...You are incorrigible...I can't...I...”-Elsie rejected the need of speaking with logic, when she felt Charlie's hands caressing her breasts..He always squeezed them so gently, knowing that it will drive her wild in few seconds..His touch was full of reverence and set free a wild fire inside her...  
She gave up to his touch and she let him undress her, he also got rid of his shirt, revealing his chest to her eyes...She placed fervent kisses all over it and listened as he moaned quietly from pleasure..When she touched the forming bulge in his trousers, he sighed deeply and whispered her name..

“Elsie...Oh God Elsie...I need you so much...Just let me love you honey...”

“Yes Charlie...Just love me..Please..”

The Scottish lilt in her hoarse whisper, sent an electric jolt in his body...In no time, he undressed all of her. And get rid of his trousers, staying just in his boxers...His sight was at her gorgeous body, body that he adored so much and wanted to cherish all over again...

“You are so beautiful Elsie...So perfect...My temptress...I want you all the time...”

He leant down and they kissed with growing desire. His body settled down on hers. His hands were still wandering around... Their lips and tongues were caught up in the crazy dance...After a while, he began to move down her body, making a delicious stop every now and then...  
When his lips and tongue closed around her nipple, her moaning became louder...She ran her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer, silently begging him not to stop the wonderful ministrations of her breasts. Her quiet whispers urge him on and on...  
Devoting quite a long time to please her, Charles went further south, passing with his lips the soft skin of her belly....He loved to travel around her body, leisurely and softly..Just like this...  
The sounds that she was making and the scent of her arousal, caused the fire in his loins, the kind of fire that could not be extinguished easily...His lips went further down, and he fondled the inside of her thighs, knowing very well by now, how much she liked that..  
Elsie was in heaven...She wanted it to never stop..Her husband turned out to be a very talented lover over the years and he still knew how to surprise her...Like today...She knew that she should reciprocate, give him all the wonderful things that he gave to her, but she simply wasn't able to do anything more now, than just lying and letting her husband love her the way he did...Letting him indulged her slowly and seductively...Her eyelids were heavy and her breath was rapid.  
When his lips settled between her thighs, right there...She knew that she won't be able to give anything..Today she was a receiver of his love..Some other day, she will do all the wonderful things to him, that he did to her..But not today...  
Charles held her hips tightly, in his hands, stopping her natural need of moving it, along with the moves of his tongue...Few more minutes of incredible delight and Elsie's body shuddered, calling his name, when she reached a peak of her pleasure...  
He kissed his way up and give her a steadying kiss, watching in satisfaction, as her blurry eyes, slowly opened, looking at him with adoration...

“Charlie..That was...You were...”

“How was it Elsie? Tell me...”

“It was wonderful Charlie...Simply wonderful...You gave me so much bliss...My love..”-Elsie kissed her husband with passion, while her hand went down his body, to grab this precious part of him...He moaned into her mouth, as soon as he felt her delicate hands, stroking him...He wanted her so much..He still couldn't figured it out, how was it possible that their mutual passion was still so strong..Maybe it was because of all the restraint that they had to go through, being so many years together, but apart, maybe it wa because they both longed for human touch, for so many years and now made up the lost time, or maybe it was simply because they loved each other tremendously and they wanted to express this love every single day and night. He wasn't sure which reason was true, all he knew, was that he wanted to make love to his wife. Here and now. And he did. Their bodies were soon joined, as he entered her carefully and they moved with a perfect synchronization, which they learnt being married..Few more moments of delight and they were both in heaven again...  
When the act ended, Charles collapsed next to Elsie and he wrapped his arms around her tightly...He was stroking her back gently, with soothing motions and she was planting the light kisses to his chest and neck...

“Mr Carson..You are the most wonderful lover..I never knew that you can love somebody that much, as I do love you..”

“I never knew it either Elsie..Until I met you...What we have is unique..I never want it to end...”

“It won't end..Not so quick..”

“So, do you still regret not spending this time, planning a party for tomorrow?”

“No, I do not..We still have plenty of time till tomorrow..”

“That's my girl...I love you my flower...”

“And I love you honey...Our Christmas day couldn't have ended better..”

“Indeed it couldn't love...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I was suppose to write a fluffy and sweet Christmas chapter and how did it end? I got out of the way completely and wrote smut...Shameless smut, because I have no shame...Sorry about that ;-) I think the difficult week got into me more, than I thought it would and this happened... I promise to go back to Boxing Day and meeting with our lovely downstairs characters, in the next one. You have to forgive me this crazy writer's inflection..Sorry for any mistakes and see you soon!


	14. Boxing Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone. It's been a long time since I updated, but I'm afraid that's how it's going to look like in the nearest future. Sometimes the real world calls me and I have to leave the fiction world, even though I really don't want to...Anyway, as I promised, long time ago, today's chapter will be about happy celebrations of Boxing Day in Carson's cottage, with the participation of the downstairs team. Hope you will like this meeting with our favorite characters.

Elsie was spinning around the living room with a speed of light. Charles could barely manage to keep pace with her..

“Elsie, honey you need to calm down. Really. Everything is settled. Everything is ready.”

“I know, I just want to be sure that all is perfect. It's the first time when we will have so many guests at once in our cottage.”

“It's only nine people. You've handled parties with many more number of guests in Downton.”

“Ten people. I invited Mr Mason too. You knew that he and Beryl are inseparable recently.”

“So I heard...”

“Beryl was so happy when I mentioned it. Do you think that they will get married soon?”

“I don't know about that. That's their decision, but if they do, I highly recommend them an institution of marriage.”- Charles drew Elsie closer and kissed her neck few times.

“Charlie...There is no time for that now...They will be here any minute”

“I know...I just wish that I could spent this afternoon only with you, instead of the whole bunch of people.”

“We are spending almost every afternoon together sweetheart...It will be quite a nice change to talk to other people..”

“Did you mean that you are bored with me already by now?”

“I will never be bored with you..Always remember that..You are my dearest husband..”-Elsie stroked his cheek tenderly and gave him the sweetest and softest kiss on the lips...He captured her lips, determined not to let her go for a while and he caressed it sensuously, until the point where she started mewling quietly and he smiled into her lips, hearing that well known sound...

“Mmmm...Charlie...I wish we could...”

“I know...Just few more hours love...And we will...”

“Like that's gonna happen...We will be exhausted and..”

Elsie's sentence was suddenly interrupted by loud knocking on the door.

“Here they come. Are you ready Els?”

“As ready as I'll ever be..”

Elsie hurried into the door, to open them and she met with a widely smiled group of Mrs Patmore, Mr Mason, Daisy and Andy.

“Come on in all of you. You must be freezing. It's so cold outside today.”

“We are a little bit frozen, but we made it.”-Mr Mason said, closing the door behind him.

“I see you are all ready and prepared. My, my, the table looks really great. Almost as if I made all this.”-Beryl said, admiring the view of the food before her. She let pass her companions and took a precise look at Elsie. “What's up with you? Your lipstick is smudged”

“Is it? Wait a minute, I'm not wearing lipstick!”

“I know you are not! I was just teasing you! Wanted to check if you will be embarrassed, because your husband probably made sure to kiss you before the guests arrived!”

“Mrs Patmore! You are still a little devil, you know that!”

“I know. That's what you love me for, isn't it?”

“I suppose so. Come on, sit her by the table. Will you excuse me, I think that another guests are here now.”- Elsie headed towards the door, to meet John Bates with Anna and little Johnny.

“Good morning Mrs Hughes. We are here. We made it through the blizzard.”-John was smiling, as he entered the cottage.

“Come on in and take your coats off. You need to warm by the fire. Hello my little boy. How are you?”

“Grandma Elsie!”-little Johnny reached his hands to Elsie, showing her that he wanted to be in her arms. She picked him from the ground and gave him a kiss. “You are such a big boy now.”

“Grandpa!”-Johnny saw Charles and he hurried into his direction.

“He couldn't wait to meet his grandma and especially grandpa. He adores Mr Carson and constantly asks about him. When we are going to visit grandpa Carson, is probably his favorite question.”-Anna added with a smile, looking at her boy with love.

“You should bring him here more often. You know that Charles and I will be more than happy to have him here. Especially now. You must be exhausted, being in the ending stage of your pregnancy. You have grown a bit.”-Elsie said, looking at Anna's big, pregnant belly.

“I have. Only one month to go. I have to tell you, that I carried Johnny with almost no pregnancy symptoms, but with this one is different. I feel constantly tired and my duties with Lady Mary are not done properly recently. Fortunately she is very understanding.”

“Is she really? My, my, I can see that some things have really changed since I've been in the house..”

“Lady Mary has her good side Mrs Hughes, although I know that it's hard to believe it.”

“It is. Luckily you and my husband are her champions. Sorry, I have to answer the door. Please sit comfortably Anna.”

Elsie left the guests with Charles, who was already taking care of wine and food and went to the door to greet the rest of the guest-that is Thomas, Miss Baxter and Mr Molesley. After a happy greetings, they all sit by the table, enjoying food, wine and a pleasant conversation.  
After a while the atmosphere was really casual. Elsie was very happy to have her dear friends around and she saw that Charles was happy too, in spite of his earlier reservations.   
They divided into two groups-Charles was immersed into a conversation with Thomas, Mr Bates, Mr Molesley and Miss Baxter, while Elsie was encircled by Mrs Patmore, Anna and Daisy.  
Little Johnny was more than happy, playing with the dog and cat on the floor.

“He is such a cute boy. You are truly blessed Anna. I hope that the next one will be so angelic too.”-Elsie looked at Anna with warm eye expression. She always treated her as a daughter.

“Hope so too. It's so hard to be a parent, but on the other hand, it's one of the most beautiful things that you can experience in your life. I'm also hoping that this one will be a girl.”

“Don't you want another boy? I kind of like boys myself.”-Mrs Patmore smiled cheekily.

“We all know that Mrs Patmore. Especially one boy who lives on the farm. So how are things between you?”-Elsie asked.

“Very well, thank you. We are helping Daisy and Andy with their wedding preparations. We have waited long enough for that, I'll say!”

“Oh, come on Mrs Patmore. It was not that long. And why don't you tell them everything? They are your friends?”-Daisy hurried Mrs Patmore to share her happy news.

“What have you been hiding from us Mrs Patmore? We are very curious about that.”-Anna smiled, trying to sit in a more comfortable position.

“Well, it's not exactly that I'm hiding something, but..You see me and Mr Mason have decided to...To get married..”

“Oh, Mrs Patmore, that's wonderful news! I'm so happy for you!”-Elsie was delighted with it. “Is it going to be a double wedding with Daisy?”

“No. We decided to get married in April, after Easter. We don't want to steal the thunder for Daisy. She deserves to be a star on her wedding day.”

“She certainly has. Are you happy Daisy?”-Elsie asked, looking at Daisy interrogatively.

“Yes Mrs Hughes. I'm very happy. I think that we will have a great marriage with Andy. I love him and he loves me.”

“Of course he does. It's obvious. Are you going to live in the farm with Mr and Mrs Mason?”-Elsie asked, smiling mischievously at Beryl.

“Yes. We were thinking where to live, but Mr Mason and Mrs Patmore invited us to live with them. The house is big enough for us all. Besides it will be easy for Andy, he does help Mr Mason all the time.”

“I'm so happy that everything is going so well with all of us.”-Elsie was genuinely contended, seeing her friends so relaxed, with great plans for the future.

“Speaking about happiness, I see that your family is expending as well. Where did you get this lovely dog and cat from?”

“I got Rupert as a Christmas gift for Charles, because he wanted to have a dog so much and we found the kitty in the woods, when we were coming back from the village and Charles decided that we must take it home. He knew how I wanted to have a kitten.”

“He would do anything for you, wouldn't he Mrs Hughes?”-Mrs Patmore never missed a chance to tease her friend.

“Of course he would Mrs Patmore. Mr Carson doesn't see the world beyond Mrs Hughes. It's always been like that, ever since I can remember.”-Anna said, showing how much warm emotions she had towards Elsie.

“Will you stop that, both of you! Otherwise I will feel embarrassed....Anna are you planning to keep on working after the second baby is born?”

“I'm not sure. I was going to, but I don't know if that will be possible anymore. I can hardly manage it now, with just Johnny and John is keen on me to stop working. We had to put down our B&B plans too. We won't be able to run it now, with two little kids.”

“But you are happy, aren't you? You wanted to have children?”

“We are. Extremely happy. Are you and Mr Carson pleased about your retirement?”

“We couldn't have been more pleased. We have so much free time and we can do whatever we want. Charles was working in his garden in the summer effectively and I was working on my kitchen skills. We have also visited my sister Becky. I wanted her to meet Charles.”

“How did it go?”

“Extremely well, I would say. They liked each other at first sight.”

“I'm so glad. Are you planning to visit her again soon?”

“Actually, we were thinking of bringing her here to visit us for few days. We were planning to do it for Christmas, but the doctor who takes care of her, advised us not to do that. So we are hoping to have this goal realized soon.”

“I'm happy for you Mrs Hughes. Nobody deserves happiness and quiet life more than you do.”

“Thank you Anna. I have all that, plus the best husband in the world...He takes such good care of me..”

“I bet he does! In every sphere of your life”-Beryl winked at Elsie.

“Mrs Patmore! Really...I will just wait patiently those few months, until you will get married and then it will be time for my jokes on you.”

“Be my guest dear Mrs Hughes. Be my guest.”

“How are things in the big house? How is the family?”

“Everything is pretty much as usual. His Lordship and Lady Mary are running the estate. They are now alone with all this, ever since Mr Branson got married and moved away...Her Ladyship is busy with the hospital and she is so happy as she never was. Marquis and Marchioness of Hexam visited us for Christmas.”

“How are they? How is their little boy?”

“They are fine. Marquis of Hexam is so proud and happy that he has an heir now. Lady Edith seemed much calmer now, than she was before. Apparently she is still visiting London sometimes, to take care of her paper, so she is not so frustrated with her empty life, as she was a year ago..”

“So all is well so far. The world didn't stop, just because me and Charlie are not in charge anymore.”

“It hasn't. Miss Baxter is doing quite a good job. You've trained her well. Although I don't know what will happen if she decides to leave..”-Beryl suspended her voice...

“Why would she do that?”

“You know that she and Mr Molesley are dancing around each other for a while..I think it may end the same as with you and Mr Carson.”

“Considering Mr Molesley's pace, I don't think that's something that we have to worry about soon Mrs Patmore.”-Anna smiled and Elsie followed her example.

“Well Anna, I wouldn't say it was any different in Charles's case. His courting were rather slow.”

“But in the end you finally got here and it's all that matters.”-Anna made a wise remark.

“What about Thomas? Mr Barrow that is? How is he handling?”

“He is doing quite well, although sometimes he exaggerates with a need of adoration for himself. But he is much kinder ever since he meet Mr Ellis.”-Anna said.

“So they are..Still meeting?”

“I believe so...He spends all his days off in London, so it's pretty much possible that this is still going on...”

“I just hope that he will be careful and that he will finally be happy.”

“I think we all want that for him and for us too...It would make our life so much easier, if Mr Barrow would find peace and happiness at last...”-Anna said.

All the rest of the afternoon was so enjoyable. When the afternoon started to transfer into the evening, the guests slowly started to get ready to leave. After heartfelt goodbyes, they all went their way. Charles and Elsie had hands full of work, cleaning after this little banquet. When they finally did it, working together, side by side, Elsie feed the animals and the sat on the sofa, sighing with relief.

“I'm so exhausted Charlie...But it all went well, don't you think?”

“Of course it did honey...You did a wonderful job. As always. Did you hear how Mrs Patmore complimented on your food?”

“I think she was just trying to be polite...I'm not such a good cook after all..”

“Elsie, you don't appreciate yourself. Your cooking has improved in those last few months.”

“Thank you Charlie..I'm glad that you like it. Speaking about Mrs Patmore...You know that she and Mr Mason are to marry in April, before Daisy's wedding?”

“Yes. Mr Mason mentioned it to us, when we were talking. He is very happy.”

“They both are. I hope they will be so happy as we are.”

“Are you happy Elsie? Really? Have I made you happy?”

“Yes Charlie. You have. Enormously. Don't ever doubt it.”-Elsie nestled herself in Charles. “Thank you for being so helpful today. Thanks to your help, we can go to sleep already and I don't have to spent half of the night washing the dishes.”

“”You can spent it lying in your husband's arms instead. If you want it..”

“There is no other place in the world, I would rather be, than in my husband's arms...”

They smiled at each other warmly and kissed, thinking again, how lucky they are to have such a beautiful life, full of love and happiness...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all for today dear people. A chapter full of dialogues and full of news about our characters from Downton, especially the downstairs ones, as they are my favorite. I sincerely hope that you liked it. Sorry for any mistakes. And the bad news is, that I won't probably update faster than week and a half, because I won't be able to..But I promise to return to you with the story. See you!


	15. Everyday issues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello again everyone. This time I really had a break from writing, a big break, but I'm back and I'm incredibly happy about it. I hope you missed me a bit, because I have missed you and my lovely old boobies. So here we go...In this chapter, I will squeeze few plots or at least I will try. By the end of the chapter ratings will increase to M level, because they haven't done it for two weeks :D (Sorry for my stupid joke, but it's just because I'm so happy to be with you). Hope you will like it.

Life in the Carson's cottage was very satisfying recently for both Charles and Elsie. They've managed to survive through the tough, winter, cold months and as March came along, the first signs of spring appeared. Charles was singing from joy, being so happy about the perspective of coming back to his garden work.  
Elsie used this time to go through every shelve in the house, tidying everything up and the house was now looking perfectly clean and organized. She also tried new things in the kitchen, with a considerable amount of help from her dear friend-Beryl Patmore. They visited each other very often. Whenever Beryl had a day off, she came into the Carson's cottage to spent time with Elsie. Her helpful advices, made Elsie's cooking skills come on a higher level and Charles was really proud of his wife progress.  
Fluffy and Rupert were developing all the time. Charles and Elsie took Rupert to a walk each day and Charles even taught him some stick tricks and was very contended, when he saw that the dog was learning quickly and effectively. Elsie was even joking, saying that Charles acts like a proud father, praising the dog skills to anyone who was willing to listen.  
Everything went smoothly with their friends from the household too. Mrs Patmore was in full preparations for her April wedding and Daisy and Andy were already planning how to settle in Mr Mason's farm.  
Anna gave birth to a beautiful baby girl in the beginning of February. She and Mr Bates were enormously happy and they decided to call the baby Catherine, because that was the name of Anna's mother.  
On this afternoon, Elsie decided to visit Anna. Charles and Rupert accompanied her to Bates's cottage. Ever since that dreadful experience that Elsie had in the woods, Charles didn't let her go alone anywhere. He guided her safely to the cottage door and went back to the house.  
Elsie and Anna were sitting by the window, looking at the cradle, filled with a beautiful, little girl.

“Anna you are so lucky. She is such a treasure. I think I have never seen more beautiful little baby”.

“Thank you Mrs Hughes. She is lovely, isn't she? And she is so peaceful. She sleeps almost all night, every night. It wasn't like that with Johnny.”

“Where is Johnny now?”

“John takes him to the Abbey in the morning. The Abbey children want him to be there with them and he is also very keen on that either. It is easier for me to just take care of Cathy. I can do something in the house.”

“Is Mr Bates happy about his little girl?”

“He is extremely happy. I know that he wanted a son, when I was pregnant with Johnny and he was so proud to have him, but Cathy is his little princess. He is so protective of her.”

“Men! They always want a son and when they have a daughter, she becomes their whole world.”

“It's true Mrs Hughes. How is life going with you and Mr Carson?”

“It's going pretty well. Charles is already happy about returning to his garden work soon. I have organized the whole house and to tell you the truth, sometimes I feel a little bit bored, but this will change soon..My little sister is coming to visit us.”

“That's great! You must be so happy. When will she get there?”

“We are coming to pick her up in two days. She will stay with us for a week or two. It will depend how will she feel in our cottage. She is used to her care home and we have to find out if she will be comfortable, living here with us..”

“Are you maybe thinking about her living with you in permanent?”

“I'm afraid that wouldn't be possible Anna. For many reasons. You see, she is like the little baby, that needs constant care. It's very tiring and neither I, nor Mr Carson are getting any younger. Besides, she is very happy in her home care. She has excellent conditions there and her friends by her side. So it wouldn't be wise.”

“I see. It's great that Mr Carson is paying for her care, just so you wouldn't have to work anymore. It's so heartwarming..”

“Exactly..Anna, I have to tell you in secret, I know that it may not look like that, but Charles is really the best husband I could ever asked for. He takes such good care of me. I'm ever so glad that we decided to spent our retirement years together.”

“I'm happy if you are happy and I always knew that Mr Carson has a warm, kind heart. Even though he did everything he could all those years, to persuade us that it's otherwise.”

“He mastered in that area, I agree”- Elsie and Anna both laughed cordially.

“Oh look, my little princess woke up now..She is opening her eyes...Would you..? Would you like to hold her Mrs Hughes?”

“Can I? You are not afraid that I will drop her?”

“Of course not. I trust you. Here, please you may hold her now.”

Elsie took little Cathy in her arms, holding her steadily...Her heart was filled with joy, when she was holding that little, precious girl, but at the same time, she felt like there was a big pain in her, when she realized, that this was something that she, herself, had never got a chance to experienced....If only...Charles would have been so proud of a daughter...She looked at the baby and her eyes were full of love and reverie...Anna saw what was going on in Mrs Hughes heart and she stayed silent, letting her process all her thoughts...

Two days later...

Becky was excited as a child before Christmas, when they finally went inside the cottage. She looked around precisely and when she noticed Rupert and Fluffy, she was lost to the world.   
Elsie and Charles smiled, seeing her excitement. Elsie remembered well, how much Becky always adored animals, ever since they were little.

“Come here doggy, come to Becky...Come here kitty... Essie, tell the kitty to come to me..”

“Just be patient Becky..Fluffy will come to you. Cats are not that trustful as dogs. Just give her time. Do you like the cottage?”

“Nice...Where am I going to sleep Essie? I want to see my room.”

“Come upstairs Becky. I will show it to you..”

Elsie lead Becky to the guest room upstairs, which she decorated with pink elements, as it was Becky's favorite color.

“Essie. I love this room! It's beauty, beauty, beauty!”

Charles just joined them upstairs and they both look contended, as Becky was dancing around, hooping from joy.

“I'm glad you like it Beck. Hope you will be happy here.”

“Are you going to sleep there with me Essie, just like when we were little?”

“No sweetie. I sleep in the next room.”

“Why Essie? I don't need to sleep alone and you don't need to sleep alone too..”

“I'm not sleeping alone Becky. I'm sleeping with Charlie..”

“You are sleeping with Chalie..Why Elsie?”

“Because Charlie is my husband. Remember, I told you about it, when you met him. And husband and wife usually sleep together. Just like Ma and Da. Remember Becky?”

“I think so...But if you don't want to sleep with Chalie..You can always come to me..Can I go downstairs now, to play with the doggy and kitty?”

“Yes Beck. You can go now..”

Becky ran downstairs, while Charles and Elsie stood in the corridor. Elsie couldn't help but smile.

“Charlie, don't be so embarrassed. You know now how Becky is..She is like a child that needs to be told everything.”

“I know Els. It's just that when you were trying to explain that to her, I was seriously afraid..”

“Afraid of what Charles?”

“That she will start another questions and that we will get to an awkward moment, when it will be necessary to explain some things to her..”

“Well, the rule is simple Charlie...For the time of Becky's visit here, we will have to stop ourselves from all the activities, that would lead to unecessary questions from her..”

“You mean? We can't??...Even at night? In our bedroom? Nothing??”-Charles's face was expressing one, big disappointment...Elsie tried to hide her smile..

“I'm afraid not..We will have to forget our privacy..Even at night...Becky will likely go into our room without knocking, even in the middle of the night and in the early morning and you wouldn't want her to catch us doing you know what...”

“Of course not...Oh my..I'm afraid that will be the worse time in my life...Not because Becky is here, but because...You know Elsie...”

“I know Charlie...We will make it somehow, I promise...”

“Speak for yourself Els, I'm not sure I will...”

After one week of Becky's presence, Charles soon found out, that Elsie was indeed right, saying what she was saying to him. Even though Becky's visit was really great. She acclimated herself faster and better, than they predicted she would. She was helping Charles in the garden willingly, trying to help Elsie in the kitchen and she was playing with Rupert and Fluffy. There weren't almost any difficult or stressful situations, when she would show anxiety or being nervous and that was something that Elsie feared the most.

However, she was right about the intimate side of their marriage. It was gone for the time of Becky's stay. She used to come in the night, to ask Elsie to read her a bedtime story, after they already put her to sleep at night and she was the one who always woke up, early in the morning and burst into their bedroom, to announce that the new day has started. They were so stressed by that, that all they could have afford, was a quick kiss good night and quick kiss in the morning.  
To Charles's dissatisfaction, they didn't even sleep cuddled, like they used to do before. Elsie was afraid that if Becky saw that, she would start to ask questions and she would have no idea how to satisfy her little sister's curiosity, in this delicate subject...

After more than a week of a forced abstinence, Charles woke up very early one morning, feeling really anxious....Last night the weather was really pretty, as for the late March and he played with Becky with a kite that he made especially for her. It was rather fun evening and they all went to sleep early, feeling exhausted.  
When he opened his eyes, he smiled instantly, seeing the loveliest view of all in front of his eyes...His wife, sleeping peacefully, like an angel..Her shining, auburn locks covered her face so gently. Her eyes were tightly shut and he could see those little blue veins on her eyelids. Her lips were slightly parted and her petite hands were curled on the pillow. He moved closer to her, glancing at the door first, making sure that Becky isn't there, to start a new day. When he saw that the coast was clear, he reached his hand, to stroke her cheek and she sighed deeply in her sleep. As soon as he was close to her and felt her intoxicating, as always smell, he was in heaven..But that was not all that she had to offer this morning..While he kept on stroking his cheek, she started to emitted little, hardly audible sounds.

At the beginning, he wasn't sure what she was saying, but very soon he realized that she was still in the state of deep sleep and that she must have had a very pleasant dream...He wondered how much did he caused it, touching her...He moved his hands, touching her lovely neck, swiping through her ever enticing curves...And he was fully rewarded for this...

“Mmmmm...Charlie...Uhmmmm...Oh yes...Just like that Charlie...Exactly like that...”

He wasn't sure now, if this was still her dream or was she in some kind of border state between sleep and reality, but he didn't care..The most important was, that he could finally touch her...It was real torture for him, not being able to touch her for more than a week..He kept on stroking her body, until the point where she slowly started to wake up...Her eyes were still blurry and when she recovered consciousness, she began to be terrified, seeing where her husband's hands was...

“Charlie! We can't..Becky can come here any minute...”

“She won't Elsie...She is still sleeping, she is probably tired after last night...Don't worry...”- Charles moved closer to Elsie and lied atop on her, lifting the hem of her night dress up..He groaned, feeling her naked, warm body, under the pad of his fingers...”Oh Els..That was so long..I can't do it anymore...I have to have you know, otherwise I will go mad..”

“Charlie, but...we really shouldn't...It's not appropriate, with Becky in the other room..What if she will come into our room in the middle..You know she can...”

“Will it help if I lock the door?..Please Elsie...I need you so much..”

“But what if she will try to get in..?”

“We will tell her that the door has stuck and we are trying to open them...”

“All right Charlie..Lock them quick..”

Charles got out of the bed, the quickest as he could and rushed towards the door to lock them, blessing that there is such a possibility...When he did, he went back to bed, getting rid of his pajamas, with a vigor of a twenty year old and Elsie wasn't wasting time either, taking of her night dress..  
As soon as they were both naked, Charles lied on Elsie and he moaned into her mouth, kissing her furiously. The passion that overtook both of them, was overwhelming. They've kissed and kissed avidly, feeling that their bodies were ready to be joined. He was hard as a rock and she was exceptionally wet. Charles couldn't stop himself from cherishing Elsie's body. It was the longest break they had in their love making, from the beginning of their mariage. They both wanted each other madly and for a moment, their bodies were were tangled so tightly, that it was difficult to tell what belonged to whom...

“Elsie...My love...Oh how I want you...I can't be without you for so long...”

“Charlie...I know...I need you too love...Oh, so very much...Please...I love you..I love you...”

The crazy fever that overpowered them, grew more and more with each moment...  
They tasted their bodies with such enormous pleasure, thirsty for each other...Elsie wanted this heavenly moment to never end, but she knew that they must be really quick about that, if they don't want to this moment to be interrupted...

“Charlie...Now...Have me now...I need this..”

“Oh God Els..I need you..”-Charles knew that no further encouragement was necessary and he entered Elsie in one, swift motion..They were both so ready for that, so incredibly ready, that no other intro was required...  
They started to move, in almost perfect synchronization, as always..They had so many opportunities to learn this and they did...Charles put his head in the crook of her neck...Nibling her earlobe gently and her very quiet moans, caused the double intensity of his pleasure...  
It didn't take long, when he felt that Elsie tighten her muscles around his manhood and her well known cry, although much quieter than usual, gave him a signal, that it was time for his own release...Every time he was able to, Charles always tried to lead Elsie to her climax, before reaching his own...  
This time, it was extremely intense..He barely stopped himself from shouting out loud, when he spilled inside her and he collapsed on her, feeling a little dizzy...  
They happily made it...They made love, without an interruption from Becky....Elsie wrapped her arms so tightly around him and drew a little patterns on his back, while he was planting sweet, little kisses to the side of her neck...

“Oh Elsie..That was...How I needed this..You...It was torture, not being able to touch you and feel you and love you..”

“Charlie...It was awful for me too..I'm so sorry..That because of Becky's visit we can't..”

“Shhh..It's ok love...You know that I adore Becky, but we have to find a way to be together, even when she is here...I can't make it without you..It reminded me of all those years, when we were working together and I couldn't even touch you and I wanted so much...”

“You mean, you were thinking about us like that? Even when we were not married?”

“All the time Elsie..All the time..”

“Mr Carson!..You are a very naught man and I love that...”-They've kissed tenderly...

“I love you Elsie...Always have and always will...Won't stop myself from being close to you no more..”

“Nor do you have to Charles...Nor do you have to...”

The lovely beginning of their day caused an excellent mood for Charles. He kissed Elsie few times during breakfast, even though Becky was around, when they finished and he went to the garden, Elsie noticed that Becky is wondering about something very intensly...

“Essie...Can I ask you something?”

“Yes baby. What is it?”

“Why is Chalie kissing you all the time?”

Elsie's face flushed suddenly.. She understood, that it was time to explain something to her sister...

“Because he is my husband pet and he loves me very much and I love him very much. And when you love someone, you want to be close with this person. Kiss and hugging, just like we do. Do you understand?”

“I think so...Can I play with Rupert outside now?”

“Ok Becky. Just get dressed warm. It can still be cold in the morning”

Becky got dressed and went outside with the dog and Elsie sighed deeply, with relief, thinking that it was a good thing, that her sister sometimes was not very inquisitive. It helped to avoid difficult conversations...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all for today my lovelies...It was a really long chapter, but I hope you won't mind..I've not been writing for two weeks and it was real pleasure to spent those few hours with Chelsie and Becky and Anna. Poor Charlie and Elsie-they were really anxious to express their love and I let them ;-) Sorry for any mistakes and if you liked it a bit, please let me know..(I hope I'm not too out of touch...) See you soon!


	16. Everyday issues-2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends. Since I'm in the point of my life, when the only updates possible are the one I make during the weekend, I decided to write another chapter today, because it will probably be a week before I can have another update. This will be the continuation of Becky's visit, plus Beryl Patmore is included in the chapter, as it's integral part. Hope you will like this one.

Elsie was so satisfied with Becky's visit. It was already a mid part of the second week of her visit and all went unexpectedly well so far. Elsie knew how difficult it was to handle her little sister sometimes, what tantrums she was able to have and it didn't happened even once during her stay. She was all happy, excited and very helpful. Of course after every episode of her trying to be helpful in the kitchen, Elsie had to clean it, but she didn't mind. The most important thing was, that her sister made it through the visit and that gave hope for the future. Now, it will be possible for Becky to be their guest more often.  
Charles was also contended. Deep in his heart, he was very afraid of that visit. It was different to spent few hours with Becky in her home care and it was different to have her on a regular stay in the cottage. Luckily, all his doubts were unnecessary. He spent a lot of time with Becky in the garden. She was very willing to help him in his garden work and to his surprise, she managed quite well. Even Elsie noticed, that Becky spent most of her time rather with Charles, than with her and she was teasing him about that fact, late at night.

“Let's face it Charlie...You have cast a spell on my younger sister. She follows you almost like our Rupert. She is completely under your charm..”

“What can I do Elsie? I guess that's the effect I have on women, especially the ones from the Hughes family...”

“Don't be so cocky Charlie...And remember, the Hughes sisters are the only women that you can charm, if you ever try to do it with any other woman, I will..”

“I know Elsie..You will bite her head off and eat it for supper..”

“Very likely...What have you been doing so long in the garden today?”

“We were preparing all the necessary tools for the garden. You know. Organizing the garden shed. Becky is very helpful and she is a quick learner.”

“She is very easygoing, as long as you know how to handle her correctly. She can't spent too much time on one thing, because she will get bored soon.”

“I noticed that.. That's why I try to balance the time between the garden work and having fun. So far, I believe I'm doing very well.”

“Indeed you are...Thank you Charlie...For being so sweet and understanding for my little sis..I don't know how to thank you for that..”

“I think we will figure it out when Becky comes back to her home care and we will be alone again..There are plenty of ways for you to thank me...”

“Oh really my dear husband? I think I'm already afraid to ask what are those ways..”-Elsie smiled to Charles warmly, stroking his chest...”It's time to say goodnight my love..We have another day ahead of us tomorrow. Beryl will come to visit me here.”

“Is she really? I didn't realize...Anything wrong?”

“I guess she is a little stressed because of the wedding. It's in two weeks. She probably wants to talk about some doubts she may have..”

“Let's just hope that she won't tell you to ask Mr Mason if he wants a full marriage..”-Charles was laughing and he set aside, when he saw that Elsie was about to slap him lightly in the stomach.

“Very funny Charles Carson...I believe that you are going to rub it in me for the rest of our lives..The fact that I handled this so badly, instead of talking to you directly...”

“Well, I have to say it was quite unusual..But it's not important now how you handled it, the most important is that you've agreed on full marriage..I'm not sure what I would do if you hadn't..”

“I'm not sure what I would do either...Can't imagine not being close to you Charlie...”

“You have no idea how happy you made saying this Els...Come here, nestle into me. I want to sleep feeling you near me..”

“But what if Becky..?”

“Then will explain it to her...How much we love each other and how much we want to be close all the time, even at night time...”

“You are right Charlie...Goodnight my sweet hubby..”-Elsie gave Charlie the most delicate kiss on the lips and she nestled closely into him, putting her head on his chest. 

“Goodnight my love”-He wrapped his arms protectively around her and fell asleep almost immediately, soothed with her presence.

The next day

Right after lunch, when Elsie was finishing with cleaning up the kitchen and Charles with Becky took Rupert for a walk, she heard knocking on the door. She figured that Beryl had a perfect timing. 

“Hello Mrs Patmore. So good to see you. Come in.”

“Hello Mrs Hughes. So nice to see you.”

“Would you like some tea?”

“If it's not too much trouble..”

“Of course not. You know that I had many kitchen troubles in the past, but tea is not one of them..”

“How are you these days? And where is Mr Carson and your sister?”

“We are fine. Thank you. Charles and Becky went for a walk with the dog. They will probably go back soon.”

“I take it they get along then?”

“They get along great. Much more than I would expect.”

“So tell me, how are you? How are the wedding preparations? Everything going smoothly?”

“So far, so good, but I'm pretty stressed, I have to tell you. It's only two weeks.”

“You will be fine. You shouldn't be stressed, this should be the day of your joy.”

“I sincerely hope so..”

“What is the problem Mrs Patmore? I can see that something is bothering you..You don't look like the blooming bride..”

“Well maybe that's because I'm far from young girl, who can be called that way...I'm just a middle age woman, who was blessed with a marriage proposal...I really wish you could call me Beryl...We know each other for so long and we went through so much already...We can address each other with our first names, now that we are no longer working together, don't you think?”

“I think there is no harm in that Beryl...We've been friends forever..”

“I hope Mr Carson won't mind..”

“He'll get use to it. God knows he got used to so many new things since we got married..”

“Oh really Elsie? Now, that's something I find very interesting. Could you please elaborate?”

“Beryl! I ask you! In two weeks you will be a respectable, married woman It's not appropriate to behave that way...”

“Oh come on Elsie..You know that I just love teasing you..”

“I know, but enough about me..Tell me what's bothering you?”

“It's not that I'm very bothered, but rather worried...You see, I have a similar problem as you had before you married Mr Carson...I'm wondering about that side of marriage with Mr Mason...I don't know what to expect and I was wondering of you could ask him for me...”

“You are not serious about that Beryl? I am to go and ask him about such things?”

“I did it for you..Can't you just do me a favor? I mean you are in much better situation than I was...I wasn't even married and didn't know anything about this stuff, when you asked me to talk with Mr Carson..You are married now and you will at least know what you are talking about...”

“But that's different Beryl..You've known Charles for many years before..And I hardly know Mr Mason..How am I suppose to ask him that?”

“You will find a way Elsie..I know you will...You are handling every kind of situation with grace and dignity..You always have...Besides, Mr Mason is much more approachable than Mr Carson ever was..Even after working with him for so long, I was in a very difficult position, to start this subject with him...Please...Do it for my sake...I wouldn't ask you, if this wasn't important for me..”

“All right...I will do it...If that means so much to you...But I still find it hard to believe, that it's not a prank of some kind from you...You have no problems with joking about it with me all the time and you can't talk about it with your future husband..I find that very odd..”

“Look who's talking..”

“All right, all right...I promise I will speak to him and I will..:”-Elsie's face frowned a bit, when she realized how difficult task she has..”I see Charles and Becky are coming back.”

“That means I will finally meet your little sister..”

“Looks like it..Just be gentle with her..She is very stressed with new people..”

“I will manage. Don't worry...”

Elsie saw by the window, that Charles went towards the garden shed, while Becky was going with a joyous steps towards the house. She barged inside, jumping from joy:

“Essie, Essie, I threw a stick to Rupert and he...”-she suddenly interrupted, seeing the new person that she didn't know. She stopped in the middle of the living room, not sure what to do...

“Hello Becky girl..Come here sweetie, don't be afraid...I want you to meet my best friend Beryl...”

Becky went to the table, still full of doubts about this new lady, that she has never seen before..

“Hello Becky..It's so nice to meet you..I heard so much about you and I really wanted to meet you. I'm Beryl. Can I call you Becky?”

“Hi Belyl...I'm Becky...You can call me Becky...Are you Essie's friend?”

“I am. I know Essie very long. We were working together.”

“Do you know Chalie too?”

“Yes Becky. I know him too...”

“Essie is my sister you know and Chalie is my older brother..He plays with me in the garden..”

“That's nice...Do you like this house? Do you like living with Elsie and Charlie?”

“I like it very much, but I miss my friends..When will I see my friends again Essie?”

“Soon baby. You will see your friends in few days..I promise...Beryl would like some more tea?”

“Yes please..”

“Then I will go to the kitchen and make some for us. Becky will you stay with Beryl?”

“Yes..I like Belyl..”

“Thank you Becky..You are such a kind girl...”-Elsie went in the kitchen and Becky sat near Beryl, feeling that she found a new friend...

“Belyl, do you have a husband too? Like Essie?”

“No Becky, not yet, but I will have a husband soon..I'm getting married in two weeks...”

“Your husband is nice? Like Chalie?”

“He is very nice Becky.”

“And he loves you? Because Chalie loves Essie and he is kissing her all the time. He is kissing her when he thinks I can't see it..”

“Does he really Becky? Thank you for telling me this..”

“No ploblem...I like you..Essie, can I go outside to play some more with Chalie and Rupert?”

Elsie, who just entered the living room, agreed to Becky's request and Becky went outside, hooping from joy, as usual.

“So, did you have a nice talk when I was in the kitchen?”

“Very nice and I found some interesting things about you and Mr Carson..”

“Such as?”

“That he loves you very much and kisses you all the time, especially when Becky can't see this and even though she does...”

Elsie's cheeks reddened...”Becky shouldn't tell you this but she is...”

“Don't worry Elsie...It's all right...I won't tell anyone. And it's obvious for me that Mr Carson loves you very much and can't keep his hands of you..You can see it in his eyes, when he looks at you..”

“Now, now Beryl...Enough of that...Few more weeks and I will have my fun about your marriage with Mr Mason..”

“Only if you talk to him...”

“I promised that I will and you can rely on me..”

Late evening...

Elsie and Charlie were lying in bed already, cuddling closely...Relaxed, because Becky was sleeping already, tired after her eventful day with Charles..Elsie wanted to tell Charles about Beryl's request, but she just couldn't find the right words...But Charles instantly noticed something untypical about Elsie's behavior.

“Sweetie, what is it? You are anxious...Something wrong with Beryl? Has she changed her mind about the wedding possibly?”

“She hasn't..She is far from it..She came to ask me a favor”

“What favor? She wants you to be her bridesmaid? Little too late for that..”

“It's not that either...She asked me to speak to Mr Mason about his marriage expectations...”

“Elsie, you are joking, right?”

“I wish I was...But I'm afraid not...”

“I can't believe that..”-Charles was laughing so hard and Elsie punched him in his chest lightly..

“It's not funny Charles Carson and if you don't stop laughing, I promise you'll be the one who will have this talk with Mr Mason..”

“Why me? She is your friend, isn't she? It's time to taste your own medicine Elsie...”

“That's it! I'm going to sleep in the living room!”

“Oh no, you won't...Come here my treasure..”-Charles held Elsie tightly and showered her with his kisses...”It's going to be all right...You are the most sensible person that I know..You will do fine..You are always the one who deals with the most difficult situations..”

“That's exactly what Beryl told me..”

“And she was right..”

“In that case, there is nothing else for me than to do it, since everyone are praising my conversation skills so much..”

“Looks like there isn't any other way Els...”

“I will tell you one thing Charlie...That's the last time, I will let anybody enter the intimate sphere of my life..It's much better when we left these things to ourselves..”

“I couldn't agree more...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for today my friends. It was suppose to be a short chapter..Not a chance for that apparently...Poor Elsie...Now she will find out how it is to ask her friend such thing..Sorry for any mistakes and I sincerely hope you liked it a bit..If so, please let me know...See you soon!


	17. Becky's goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone. Welcome again. It's weekend, so time for another update. In this chapter, Charles and Elsie are saying goodbye to Becky, who is returning to her home care after the visit. Hope that you will like it.

All good things in life very soon come to an end and Becky found that out on her own, when her visit at Charles and Elsie was finished. She was missing her friends from home care and often asked Elsie, when will she see them again, but as the day of goodbye came, she was a little annoyed and very sad.  
Elsie's heart broke a little, when she saw the sad face of her sister and Charles was anxious too. Having Becky at the cottage was quite a challenge for both of them, but even so, they both got used to her being around. They've managed to work and spent some happy time together, doing all sort of crazy things like running with Rupert in the near woods or playing inside the house with Fluffy. 

All three of them, created a good working team and it was difficult to part now, but they all knew that this is how it must be. Becky was pretty sad for the most part of the trip, but when she saw all her old friends, her mood got instantly better, as they certainly had a lot of catching up to do.  
When it was almost time to leave, if they wanted to catch the last train, Becky suddenly started crying and Elsie had to use all her magic powers, to calm her sister down. It helped a lot, that one of her best friends has received new toys recently and she came to show them to Becky. She got so occupied with it, that she forgot all her sadness and after saying a quick goodbye, Charles and Elsie hurried to the train, practically running to the station to catch it. Luckily, they succeeded and they went back rather late, eating the dinner in the train.

When they finally got to the cottage, they were pretty exhausted. Both physically and emotionally. They sat on the sofa in their living room and stayed quiet for half an hour, just to gather their thoughts. Elsie made some tea for both of them and they drank it and went upstairs to take a bath. Long, hot bath was something they both needed tremendously, after this tiring and full of emotions day.  
Charles, being a perfect gentleman, as he always was, let Elsie went to bathroom first and when she was done, he went in. When he finished, he came back to the room, to find Elsie lying with her eyes closed, comfortably stretched in the bed. He smiled at this sight, thinking for a thousand time, how extraordinarily beautiful she is...He lied carefully, not wanting to break her sleep. He wasn't sure if she was already asleep, but as he lied near her, she opened her eyes and smiled warmly to him.

“I thought you were already sleeping love...Did I wake you?”

“No honey..I wasn't sleeping...I just closed my eyes for a while, to calm my mind down. It was really a difficult day..”

“I know sweetie...It was indeed...I know that you are sad about Becky's leaving, but we will have her here again, in the summer, like we promised..We can take her for the whole month if you want to..”

“Can we really? Will you agree to this?”

“Of course I will...You know that I like Becky very much. She is not that difficult to handle, if you know how to behave around her. She is very helpful in the garden and I really liked the time we spent together..”

“I couldn't be more happy to hear this Charlie...I was so afraid that you might be tired with her..She is like a big child..”

“I'm not tired with her at all... And I'm more than welcome her here again..On one condition of course...”

“And what's the condition?”

“That we will find some way to be alone, when she is here..You know, just like the last time..”

“Oh, so that's the trick Charles Carson...I knew you would say that..”-Elsie smiled widely, looking at her giant husband, with his eyes full of adoration, staring at her like a puppy in love..

Charles drew her closer to him...He knew that they were both too exhausted tonight to make love, but nothing could have stopped him from their closeness...Elsie nestled into him, putting her arms around his neck, whilst he put his around her waist..She unbuttoned first two buttons of his pajama top and she inserted her small hand inside...Purring with satisfaction...His warm, solid body always gave her the immense feeling of security...Her head was buried in the hollow of his neck and she placed few kisses into his chest.   
Charles touched her hair and gently massaged her scalp, because he knew how much she liked it..His fingers ran across her neck and her shoulders and he sighed, when he felt her delicate, soft skin beneath them...

“Mmm....Elsie...Your skin is like silk...You are so soft and warm...”

“I'm glad to hear that my dear husband, that means that I'm still alive...Few moments ago I wasn't entirely sure if that is the case..”

“You certainly are alive my love and if we weren't so exhausted, I would have definitely showed you how alive are you..”

“I bet...But I'm too tired Charlie....Can't do it today..But tomorrow...” She rose her head and looked at Charles seductively...”Tomorrow, I promise, that we will make up all the lost time...All this time when we couldn't be totally casual because of Becky..”

“And what will we do Elsie?”

“We will make love as long as we want to...And however we want to...Just the way you like it..”

“You know very well how I like it Elsie...I like to do this all the time with you...Without stopping..But unfortunately, I'm just an old man...”

“You are a perfect man Charles...Old or young..I wouldn't want it any other way...If we were young now and still had to work, it would be so much different..Just remember, when I was still working at the Abbey..We barely had time to be together and I was constantly tired...It's so much better now, when we are both retired and we can do it at any day, any hour...”

“I agree...It's so much better when we can do it as frequent as we need. And I need that very much...I can't dream of doing anything better, than staying in bed all day and making love with my beautiful wife...

He stroked her face most delicately and stole tiny kisses from her. Each of them was like the sweetest caress to his soul...He knew that she belonged to him, every tiniest part of her belonged to him...  
Elsie surrendered to his caresses willingly...She adored those most intimate moments, when they could enjoy their closeness and express their love so tenderly...Sometimes she even wondered if those moments were not better than the actual act of love making itself..To feel love and protected in Charles's arms, was incomparable to anything else...  
They kissed so slowly and so sensually and when they stopped, she put her head on his chest and closed her eyes, feeling his light kisses planted in her hair..”I love you Charlie..”-she whispered ,being in a state of half sleep.  
The steady rhythm of his heart and his quiet whispers, saying “I love you too Elsie”, were the last things that she heard, before she drifted peacefully to sleep...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm afraid that's all for today my dear friends. Unexpected guests visit has made me to cut short the chapter and I was planning a conversation with Mr Mason in the second part of the chapter...But I promise that we will have it in another one...Sorry for errors and please let me know if you liked it. See you soon!


	18. Conversation with Mr Mason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello dear people. I'm back to finish what I started yesterday and what was interrupted by unexpected guests. Elsie will have her difficult talk with Mr Mason, but first she and Charlie will experience some adorable moments together (they've earned it after Becky's visit), so probably ratings will go up a little, but not that much. Hope that this chapter will be readable to you.

They slept rather long next day, feeling a need of rest, after emotionally exhausting day. Elsie was the one who woke up first and she watched her peacefully sleeping husband with pleasure. He looked like a big teddy bear, hidden in his burrow. She brushed away that favorite curl of his, from the forehead and she smiled, when he mumbled something, but kept on sleeping.

Elsie quietly got up and went downstairs, to prepare a surprise breakfast for her husband. She thought that he really deserved a delicious breakfast, for being so good with Becky. As she was hustling around the kitchen, she reminded herself all those happy moments, that they've had together, during those last, two weeks. It was so comforting-that knowledge that they are one, big happy family and that Charles fully accepted Becky.  
Elsie never felt more happy in her life, than she was now, sensing that finally everything was in the right place. She placed all the food on the big tray-eggs and bacon, sausages, hot toasts. She took some honey and jam too and she made a big pot of coffee.

She stepped carefully on the stairs, trying to avoid collapsing with all this and she sighed with relief, when she got safely to the room and put the tray on the night table.  
Charles was still soundly asleep, but as soon as he felt a smell of bacon, he slowly woke up from his sleep, only to find his beloved wife, bent over the tray, full of delicious food, pouring him a cup of hot coffee.

“Did I die and went straight to heaven Els? Or do I see a typical, English breakfast?”

“You are very much alive Charlie and I made this delicious breakfast for us, so we could enjoy it in here, lazily..Do you like the idea of starting our day like this?”

“I couldn't have dreamed of any better start of the day..Oh my..Those are large portions...I see someone is rather hungry..”

“I am very hungry..That last night dinner on the train was not satisfactory for me..”

“Fortunately, today we can enjoy the delicious breakfast, served by the fair hands of my lovely wife..”

“Hmmmm....I think I heard that argument once before..”

“You have..During our famous cooking fiasco days...Let's not go back to that now..Why waste a good day?”

“My point exactly. Let's have our breakfast..”

They both sat comfortably in bed, eating their food, with a great deal of appetite, sharing all the best bites. When they finished, Elsie took all the dishes and wanted to carry them down to the kitchen, but Charles stopped her, saying that he will do the dishes and she can have her bath in this time.  
Her bath took more less the same time as his washing the dishes and when he went back upstairs, the bathroom was already unoccupied. He took his bath and went back to the bedroom, to get dressed, convinced that he won't find Elsie in there anymore, he figured that she probably went downstairs to start some chores around the house, but to his amazement, he found her lying on the bed, scanty dressed, looking at him with a meaningful expression, that he knew so well by now...

“Elsie..I thought that you are already downstairs..That you are..I didn't expect to find you here..What are you...?”

“What am I doing here? Waiting for my glorious husband to join me here...In bed..As I recall, you promised that we will have a day for ourselves..Just the two of us...”

“Is that so Mrs Carson? You must forgive the old fool that I am, neglecting his adorable wife..How could I have possibly done that...?”

He climbed into bed and kissed Elsie softly on her lips, inserting his hands, under her night gown...It was so wonderful to feel her velvety skin under his hands...He started to undress her slowly, still kissing her and she reciprocated, getting rid of the bathrobe that he was wearing.   
When he undressed her, his eyes locked on her body...He moved his sight up and down, wanting to enjoy the essence of loveliness that she was...Elsie felt a little uneasy, as usual, when her husband expressed his adoration for her body so openly..

“Charlie...Don't look at me like that..I feel uneasy...My body is not that pretty sight..”

“Shhh....No more of that nonsense Elsie...You are the most beautiful woman in the world for me..How many times do I have to repeat it, so you can finally believe that?”

“But I'm wrinkled and floppy and...”

“But I happen to love every little wrinkle of yours honey..And every floppiness, no matter where you have it...I'm not an Adonis myself...I'm an old man with a round belly...”

“But I happen to love that belly of yours...It's so soft and comfortable..It can easily replace the pillow under my head..”

“Elsie....”

“Charlie...”

Charles lied near Elsie and they kissed...Very slowly...Without any hurry or hasty...They needed each other so much...He stroked her naked breasts, with both of his hands and he listen with pride, as she made those little whimpers that he liked so much...  
Her hands caressed his chest, she played with his chest hair so casually and she slowly headed down to reach for her favorite prize..As soon as her hand closed around his manhood, he moaned into her mouth...Her delicate touches there, always sent shivers down his spine..

“Oh God Elsie...I love when you touch me...”

“Charlie...My sweetheart...I missed you so much..I missed that closeness of ours...”

“How I missed you Els...”

She kissed him on the lips and moved it to his jawline and his neck...She inhaled his scent..He had that unique scent, that was so alluring to her..When she transferred from the neck to the chest, indulging it with hot kisses, never stopping to stroke his manhood, he closed his eyes, feeling like he was nearing the paradise...There was nothing sweeter, than the hot love from his wife...He let her take the lead and he surrender willingly to her tender ministrations...

Elsie tasted Charles like the greatest wine..Savoring every little sensual sensations of his beloved body...Charles let her indulged him for few moments more and then he rolled her onto her back and let his lips wander around her...She was so delicious, so delightful....Her skin felt like the sweetest dessert, that he wanted to taste and taste, without stopping...He kissed his way down, not neglecting any of the special places on the map of her body and went back up, to land on her beautiful lips...Being married so long, they have already discovered all the variety of kisses. Sometimes they were pure passion, other times, like today, a slow dance of the wanting lips..Soft and full of love...

Charles looked Elsie deeply in her eyes, which were full of love and total devotion, as was his and he entered her, groaning from desire...They were rocking slowly, still kissing in the meantime, both decided to prolong this lovely moment, as long as it was possible...  
Not only their bodies, but also their souls were one..At least that's how they felt it...

When Charles felt that his climax will hit him, he put his head on the hollow of her neck..Whispering sweet words of love, straight to her ear..She followed him almost immediately..  
After it was over, they were both lying, touching their faces reverently..Charles was moving his hand on her side..Learning once again her beautiful curves and she caressed his forearm delicately...

“Charlie...I love you so much...It was so wonderful to be close with you again...I never want this to end...”

“I love you my little flower...I never want this to end either...This is the best part of our marriage..”

“You really think so?”

“Of course I do...All those years we were sharing almost everything with each other..All the happy events and all the troubles, but this...I bet you never thought it would be like this..”

“I never did...I'm so happy that you were so persistent about the question of full marriage. I can't imagine us living together, without sharing this closeness..”

“Oh my sweetheart...My beautiful sweetheart..”-He drew her impossibly closer and kissed her temple lovingly...”So you are saying that you have strong arguments for your talk with Mr Mason about the advantages of full marriage?”

“Don't even remind me about that...I still have no idea how to go through this conversation..”

“You will do fine my love...I'm sure about that...”

“Are you really?”

“I've never been so sure of anything..”

“I think I've heard that before too..You are repeating yourself today honey...”

“You have to forgive me Elsie..From two reasons...One- I'm an old man and two-it's difficult to find the right words, having such a beauty in my arms...”

“Since you put it that way, you are totally forgiven my love...”

They smiled at each other and kissed tenderly, before nestling into themselves, to satisfy the need of the connection, that has been forgotten for the last, two weeks...

Three days later

Elsie was feeling really anxious that day, when she went to the tea at Mr Mason's farm. She made sure that neither Beryl or Daisy will visit him that day, because she wanted a quiet conversation with a farmer, without any interruptions. Mr Mason was very glad about her visit, he kindly offered her tea and scones, telling her all about the preparations for the summer at the farm. Elsie told him all about the lovely garden work, that Charles was doing in their cottage and after this exchange of pleasantries, Elsie felt that it was about time to go the main goal of her visit...

“So..Mr Mason...Are you nervous about your upcoming wedding? Because I know that Beryl is a little nervous..”

“Maybe a bit, but not that much..You know how I feel about Mrs Patmore..How dear she is to me..I'm more than happy and very proud to become her husband...Besides, I was married before already, so it won't be a new thing for me..”

“That's true. It won't be a new thing for you, but it will certainly be a new thing for Beryl..”-Elsie had no idea how to go the main point of this conversation...Luckily for her, Mr Mason was a bright man, who swiftly understood that there is some hidden cause of their talk..”

“Mrs Hughes...Am I to understand that you are trying to tell me something here? Did Beryl...I mean Mrs Patmore, changed her mind possibly? Did she asked you to give this message to me? I know you are friends..”-His face expression went from the happy one, to more anxious and concerned..

“No Mr Mason. It's not that at all. Don't worry..Beryl is very happy to marry you..It's just that she...Oh God, this is so hard to talk about that with you..But she asked me to..”

“Please Mrs Hughes, just be honest with me..Whatever it is, I can take it..”

“You see...I'm the last person on earth, who would want to interfere in anyone's private business, but since Beryl is my friend and she is very insecure about some stuff, she wanted to know if you..If you will want your marriage to be a full one...Meaning..With...You know...”

“I know very well what you mean Mrs Hughes..No need to be embarrassed...I was married and you are married to Mr Carson..I see no reason for us to be embarrassed or feel uneasy with it...Even if the topic is particularly sensitive..To answer your question..Yes, I definitely want this marriage to be a full one...I couldn't think of it any other way...You see, I love Mrs Patmore..I love her very much and as I said before, I would really like her to be happy. I want us to share everything...Our work, our earthly goods and also this sphere of life...This is very important to me..As it probably is for any men..I'm sure that is the same with you and Mr Carson...Oh, I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have said it..It's not my business after all..”

“It's all right Mr Mason...Since we are being honest..It is the same for me and Mr Carson and it is that way because Beryl helped us settled this question, before we got married..”

“Did she really? How kind of her...Then you have some reasons to be grateful to her..”

“We certainly do..And that is why I agreed to have this conversation with you..Otherwise, I would have never even think about it..”

“I'm glad that we had it. Although I have to admit, that I'm quite surprised that Beryl didn't have it with me directly..She usually has no problems with being open and honest..”

“She doesn't..I was surprised too...For a moment, I even thought that she was trying to do some joke on me with his..But apparently not..So I should tell her that you are decided to have a full marriage?”

“Yes. I want to have a full union with her, in every possible level...And you can also tell her, that she has the bravest best friend in the world..Not many women would have the guts to speak about such things with her friend's fiancee...”

“Thank you for this compliment Mr Mason. I'm glad that we reached an agreement and I trust that what we said here, will never leave those walls.”

“You can be sure of that Mrs Hughes.”

When Elsie went back home, Charles was waiting for her impatiently, curious how the conversation went.

“Well, how was it Elsie? Did you manage to talk to him about that?”

“Surprisingly, I did and it went much easier and better, than I could have expected it..”

“Meaning? Does he want a full marriage with Mrs Patmore?”

“He most definitely does and he was very clear about that. What do you have to say about that Charlie?”

“The only thing that I can say, is that I highly recommend it to anyone my love..”-Charles smiled to the love of his life and took her in his arms, to kiss her, glad to have such a wonderful wife, who is not only the best wife in the world, but also a great negotiator.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all my dear friends. Another long chapter, but I'm quite happy with it and I hope you will be too...Elsie managed to have a difficult conversation and they certainly enjoyed their intimate, sweet moments together. Sorry for any mistakes. Stay safe and see you soon!


	19. Beryl's wedding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone. It's weekend, so it's Chelsie time...So glad to be back..In the last chapter, Elsie had a productive conversation with Mr Mason and today she will give some courage to her friend on the day before her wedding...After that, we will attend Beryl's wedding with Mr Mason and have some happy celebrations with our downstairs group. Hope you will like it.

The weather was exceptionally great this year. Even though it was only the end of April, the temperature was really high. The nights were exceptionally warm, so warm that Elsie was wearing her summer night dress to sleep and Charles was sleeping without his pajama top.  
On the day before Beryl's wedding, Elsie woke up first and she looked through the window, enjoying the lovely spring morning. The sun was shyly peeking through the window and the birds were having their usual, morning concert. All this brought a warm smile to Elsie's face, as she again realized, that her life is close to perfection now. She had everything she needed. A lovely cottage, a lot of free time and her beloved husband by her side. A husband who devoted every hour, convincing her over and over again how much he loved and adored her. Making her every wish come true, as soon as she expressed it out loud.

Thinking about all this, she turned on her side, to watch the sleeping form of the love of her life. He looked so adorable, being in a state of deep sleep. His silver locks scattered on the pillow, longer than usual, for her clear request. She loved to run her fingers through his locks and knowing that, Charles went along with her request and grew his hair.  
He looked so peaceful and relaxed, but Elsie knew that it was about time to get up for both of them, as they promised Beryl that they will help her with the last preparations. Elsie decided, that she should wake up Charles in some pleasurable way, just to avoid an attack of his grumpiness, that sometimes occurred when his sleep was interrupted.

She got closer to him and she ran her hands through his chest, caressing it gently, until she reached his neck, just to enjoy his unruly hair again...She lowered her lips down and started to cherish his chest with small, tender kisses, going slowly up to the neck, through his cheeks, just to eventually stop on his nose, which she bestowed with kisses on the tip.  
It wasn't long before Charles started to stir in the bed and opened his eyes. When he felt the gentle caresses that his wife was giving him, his face lighten up at once...

“Good morning my beautiful fairy. How wonderful it is to be woken up that way...Can I please have that on a regular basis?”

“Good morning love...I'm not so sure about the regular basis...I shouldn't spoil you that much..I wish to reserve it to some special occasions..”

“And what is the special occasion today?”

“Beryl's wedding approaching...”

“As much as I'm happy about Beryl, I wouldn't call it a special occasion Els..”

“In that case do you wish me to stop and move away Charlie?”

“Don't you even dare to do that..I won't let you..”

He turned her on her back and lied atop of her...Kissing her softly and lovingly, while his hands were exploring her warm body all around...She moaned to his ministrations and for a moment she forgot the whole world, as always, when she was in the loving arms of her husband, but the reality soon hit her back..

“Charlie...Love..We can't now...We need to get up and help Beryl with...Oh Charles...”-she couldn't keep control over herself, when she felt his hot, wet lips on the side of her neck...He definitely knew how to drive her wild in a very short time...”Charlie...Sweetheart...We really have to get up...”

“No....Every time I'm about to have a lovely moments with my wife, there is something that unable me that..I really miss the day when we will wake up and we won't have to do anything or go anywhere...”

“We'll have plenty of days like this love..You'll see..Once Beryl is safely married to Mr Mason and Daisy to Andy, we will have every important things settled and we will be able to enjoy ourselves...”

“Can't wait for that love...You are really a romantic soul Els...Wanting a happy marriage to all your friends..”

“Of course I do..After all, I'm happily married myself and I highly recommend this state to everyone..”

“I'm so very proud to hear this...So what are you going to do with Beryl today?”

“She asked me for the conversation..She is a bundle of nerves before tomorrow...I just hope that she doesn't expect that now I will talk to her about full marriage...”

“Well, you are a very experienced in that area now, so it's possible...With the happiness radiating from both of us, she may want to know the recipe for that...”

“In that case, I can tell her how lovely it is to have a gorgeous husband, who is so cuddly and so amorous, especially in the morning..”

“Elsie Carson, if you will tell her that, I swear I will punish you severely..”

“And what are you going to do Charlie?”

“How about this!”-Charles started to tickled Elsie's sides, knowing that it's the only weapon the he can use against her, causing her squirms of laughter and when she was all giggly and off guard, he showered her with infinity of kisses..All of her...Time ceased to exist for the Carsons, as they submerged in showing their affections...

At Downton...

“Elsie..You are late..We were suppose to meet almost an hour ago...!”

“I'm really sorry Beryl, this morning I got a little distracted..”

“Distracted? By what? Or should I ask by whom?”

“Well, you see...”-Elsie's face got a little redder and her flushed cheeks gave away the true cause of her delay immediately..

“All right, never mind...I really don't need to know the details, although, they are very interesting I suppose..”

“Beryl! Are we really want to go down that road again?”

“Not today Elsie...Today it's all about me...I asked you for the conversation because...Oh, wait, we can't talk here. We really should go to your sitting room.”

“But Miss Baxter won't mind?”

“I'm sure, she won't. I already asked her if we could use it, when you get here.”

“Let's go then. By the way, Charles is at the school house now, checking if everything is ready for a big party. I'm so happy that you decided to go with the school, the same as we did..”

“Your wedding was such a great time, that I figured why not?”

They got to Elsie's former sitting room. Elsie looked around the room, being contended that it was pretty similar to the state in which she left it, going on her retirement. Miss Baxter didn't change much in here and Elsie took it a sign of respect for her.

“So how can I help you Beryl? What is the problem? Do you have cold feet?”

“I'm not sure if you can call it cold feet, but something like that...Elsie, I'm so afraid..I have no idea how to be a wife..How will I manage?”

“Beryl there isn't something that you can really learn...Once you will be married, you'll see that the best way is to take things slowly, day by day, knowing how it is to live with a man. You have one big advantage, that I didn't have when I got married-you can cook. That's more that I can say about myself and this is certainly one of the basic components of success, when it comes to married life. At least for men. They love good food being handed to them.”

“I'm not worried about that. I can cook and I can run the house. Maybe not so good as you, but I will manage on the farm. I decided to retire in the fall. I mean Bill and I decided that I should retire..”-Beryl smiled shyly, feeling inner pride, from the fact of making first mutual decision with her future husband...

“I'm so happy for you Beryl. It's about time for that. You've worked so hard all your life. You deserved to enjoy your new married life with Bill, without being devoted to Downton all the time.”

“I think so too. I'm not that young anymore and those hard days of work are really getting to me now..Besides, after Daisy and Andy's wedding, we will probably have more responsibilities..You know..When Daisy will get pregnant..She will need help with taking care of the baby and she already announced to me that she won't stop working...”

“A true, modern woman...The world is changing Beryl..Women want more from life now...Do you know if the family is going to have Daisy as their cook now?”

“I've spoken to his Lordship about that..I thought it would be fair to mention to him, that I'm planning to retire in the fall and he asked my opinion about Daisy's skills. If she is suitable for the cook here.”

“And what did you say?”

“Of course I told him that she is. As it is the truth. I've taught her everything. She can totally manage here, so his Lordship agreed to replace me with her.”

“That's a great opportunity for our Daisy. She must be very proud.”

“She is. I even believe that is more excited about her promotion, than about her marriage..”

“What can you do Beryl? She is very ambitious and I wouldn't expect her to become just a wife and a mother..Not her style.. So tell me, why are you nervous, because we can't seem to get to the point of this conversation?”

“You see...I may not know much about men, but I do know one thing...They need good food and an affectionate wife...I'm calm about my cooking skills, but as for the other thing...Can I have some word of wisdom from you regarding you know...Marriage relations...”

“Beryl...I don't know what I should say to you..I don't feel like an authority in this matter...”

“But you are already married for four years now..You must know something about that and I can see from all the looks and gestures, how happy you and Mr Carson are...”

“It's true Beryl...We are very happy..That's because we love each other very much...That makes all the other stuff very easy...Mr Mason loves you too and you love him, so I'm sure it will be much the same for you..”

“I know...We do love each other, but I want to be good wife for him you know...Not to let him down or anything...Can you give me some pointers how to do that?”

“I'll give you a copy of Marie Stopes book. You will find all the informations you need there...Just remember..It won't be very easy in the beginning...Marital relations are different for men and women..Whilst men can enjoy it fully from the first moment, it takes much more time for us to get to this point...It will not be pleasant at first...But once you will get through that first faze, it's going to be so much better and better...After a while, you will find out that there is nothing better than having those intimate moments with your husband..”

“Is that how it is for you and Mr Carson?”

“Yes Beryl..This is exactly how it is for us...Remember how I was dreading of this sphere of life before we were married and how you helped me?..Now, I can't imagine that we wouldn't have this wonderful connection..It's one of the greatest mysteries of life, but once you will fully discover it, you will understand why there is so much fuss about that subject..”

“Thank you for these words Elsie..You've really reassured me with it. Now I can hardly wait to know all this, as good as you do..”

“Well, you won't have to wait long for that..Is everything ok now? Are you ready to get married?”

“I'm ready...”

“Then I see you in the church tomorrow...Bye Beryl...”

“Bye Elsie..Thank you so much for your help..”- Elsie and Beryl hugged each other warmly, feeling that the world is better because of their friendship...

Next day-Beryl's wedding...

On the next day, warm and sunny Saturday, Elsie along with Charles, their downstairs friends and upstairs family, watched as Beryl dressed in a beautiful blue wedding gown, married Mr Mason, who was wearing an elegant grey suit. He couldn't stop smiling through the entire ceremony and so did Beryl.  
Elsie and Charles watched with hearts bursting from happiness, as their dearest friend was finally having the best day of her life. When they pledged their love to each other, Charles took Elsie's hand in his and squeezed her gently. She looked him in the eyes, with an expression full of love..Such a special, quiet moment between them, during this glorious ceremony, among other people...  
After the wedding, many congratulations that the newly married couple received from their friends, they went to the school house to celebrate.  
Elsie managed to find a moment to congratulate Beryl one more time.

“Congratulations Mrs Mason. I'm so happy for both of you and wish you all the luck in the world.”

“Thank you Elsie...I know you do...You are my one, true friend and that will never change.”

“Thank you for your wishes Mrs Hughes. We are both very grateful to you and I don't have to explain why.”-Mr Mason was radiating with happiness.

“You are both very welcome and you can always count on my help and advice, whenever you need it.”

Elsie had to make room for other people, who also wanted to congratulate the couple and she neared Charles, The Bates's, Miss Baxter, Mr Molesley and Daisy with Andy.

“So did you get some special, private talk with the newlyweds? Not all of us had that privilege Mrs Hughes.”-Daisy joked.

“As a long time friend, I earned this privilege, thank you very much. And you better get in line Daisy, you are the one who should catch the bouquet today.”

“Whether she catches it or not, our wedding is definitely the next one. I will not let Daisy slip out from me this time”-Andy smiled, looking at his fiancee with adoration in his eyes.

“Don't you worry about that Andy. We will make sure that Daisy won't run away from the altar.”- said Elsie and they all laughed heartily.

“I'm so happy for Mrs Patmore. She really deserved such a great husband as Mr Mason surely will be.”-said Anna.”Now, we can focus on Daisy and Andy's wedding and all will be as it should be...Everyone happily married..Unless there are still people among our circle, who are planning something..”-Anna smiled cheekily, looking at Miss Baxter, whose cheeks blushed suddenly, when she heard that...

“Who knows what the future has installed for us Anna? Life is full of surprises..”-said Mr Molesley and they all laughed, feeling that there are only good things ahead of them...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all for today folks...It would be a good ending chapter for this story, I admit it, but I still have few ideas, so I won't end it in here...I hope you are not bored with the story by now...Beryl is happily married, Daisy is about to get married..Elsie and Charles are extremely happy...Everything is just as it should be....Sorry for any mistakes and if you liked it, let me know..Also, I wish your opinion whether I should continue the story further...Stay safe and see you soon!


	20. Ghost from the past-part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello dear people. Yesterday I was wondering, if I should end this story, because the circumstances were favorable to do that, since I gave a happy ending to almost all of the downstairs group, but because you still like the story and I still have ideas, I decided to continue. It probably won't be long till the end, but for now, we are staying with retired Chelsie. In this chapter, Charles and Elsie are going to a pig show, to support Lady Mary and Elsie unexpectedly meets the ghost from the past. How will she react and what will Charles do about it? Hope you will like it.

Lovely spring has imperceptibly transferred into the summer. The days were long now and the weather was splendid. The nights were rainy and after them came another sunny morning.  
Charles and Elsie were enjoying this beautiful weather to the fullest. Charles was working in the garden and he got so enthusiastic about it and planted so many different vegetables, that Elsie was joking that he should start a new career now and become a regular gardener, making deliveries for the Abbey.  
Elsie helped him a lot and she listened carefully to his pointers about managing in the garden, unless he became more grumpy than he should be...In those cases, she used to roll her eyes and swiftly backed down into the cottage, to avoid quarrels with her husband.

Other than that, they were exceptionally happy. Their love was blossoming with a new force every single day. Elsie was keeping the cottage in perfect order and she faced with new challenges regarding her cooking skills, with different effects. At least one thing has changed for the better. Charles was no longer complaining about her cooking. When she sometimes made some new dish, trying to follow Beryl's recipe and it didn't taste as it should be, he said not one bad word to her, pretending that he really liked it. There was only one incident, when she made a dinner which was totally uneatable and the dinner ended with bursting of laughter from both of them and a visit in a local pub...

Both of them felt that this was the best time in their lives..When they could finally be themselves. Without any restrictions connected to their job. When they were visiting the Abbey, they were always greeted with signs of joy and respect from their colleagues and from the family, when they happen to meet someone from the upstairs.  
Beryl and Mr Mason were happily married now. Elsie and Beryl had few interesting chats about the advantages of the married life. They were both focused on Daisy's upcoming wedding.

Elsie was already planning a summer visit for Becky. They've settled with Charles that they will bring her to the cottage in July, to stay with them for a whole month. They often discussed about the ease with which Becky became a part of their family now.   
It was so wonderful, when they sat on the sofa in the evening, with Rupert and Fluffy around and talked about different things, enjoyed wine, read a book or simply stayed silent, cuddling closely. Each of them has thanked their lucky stars, for this wonderful turn of events in their life. It couldn't be any better than it was now.  
On one June Saturday, they were preparing themselves for the annual pig show, that took place in the village. It was a very big event and they were asked by Lady Mary to participate. Not only because she presented her pig flock, but mostly because this year it was Downton, which was the place that the farmers who took care of pigs, from all over the country, were about to visit to see the finest specimens.   
Elsie was not especially enthusiastic about it, but Charles was as keen as always to help Lady Mary. It was the thing that Elsie learned to accept by now...

“Charlie, why are you dressing so elegantly? It's only the pig show...”

“It is Elsie, but we will meet the whole village in there and the family and people from all over the country. I can't just look sloppy.”

“You never look sloppy Charlie, but this...Don't you think you are overreacting a bit?”

“I like things to be done properly Elsie and I won't apologize for that..”

“Nor do you have to...You look very handsome, you know that...All those village women will fuss around you again...”

“Will they really? I haven't noticed..”

“Always a perfect gentleman...My dear, sweet husband..Mine and only mine..”-Elsie decided to tease Charles a bit, just before they were to left for the show...She kissed his lips softly few times, wrapping her arms around his waist and breathing in the wonderful scent of his cologne, that she adored so much...

“Only yours...Mmmm...Els...If you keep on doing that, I will start to wonder, if we should miss the show and just stay home...”

“That's an option acceptable for me...”-Elsie felt pretty amorous this afternoon...”I know I wouldn't mind that...”

“Neither would I sweetheart, but I can't let down Lady Mary..I promised to be there for her..”

“Precious Lady Mary...Of course you wouldn't let her down...How could you possibly?”

“One more moment with my delicious wife and Lady Mary will have to manage without me...”

“So, I finally did it...I won with her..At last...”

“I would say you have a powerful weapon in this fight Elsie...”

“And what might that weapon be?”

“You know very well what it might be..And if you don't remember, I will remind you when we get back from the pig show, at night time...”

“Can't wait for that...”-They've kissed lovingly, tasting each other with great pleasure...

“Now, let me get dressed, I must look good too, since I have an honor of accompany my handsome husband to the show...”

“All right love..I will wait for you downstairs”

Elsie got dressed, putting on one of her favorite violet dresses, that she received from Charles on her birthday last year. He had excellent taste in clothes. Even Elsie, who never really cared about dresses, had to admit, that this one really emphasize her beauty. She styled her hair in that casual way, that she and Charles both liked so much, with gentle waves on the side of her face and she put on the lovely hat, matching the outfit. She sprayed herself with her favorite floral scent and she was ready.

Soon they left the cottage and went towards the place of the show, in the centre of the village. Elsie took Charles's arm and they went together, smiled and happy...  
The event was indeed a big one. There were a lot of people, so many of them, that it was easy to get lost in the crowd. Farmers from all over the country, village people...They hardly managed to find the family and the downstairs friends in this crowd...The contest part didn't took long and it was no surprise to anyone, that the pigs from the Abbey, again received a reward, just like last year and a year before. Even Elsie, who was not very fond of Lady Mary normally, had to admit, that she took a great care of those pigs and the reward was fully deserved. 

They congratulated her and Elsie noticed that Charles was beaming form joy, as it was his own merit. He was retired, but he still treated Lady Mary as she was his own daughter. Elsie didn't mind that anymore. She had his love and she knew that she was the most important person in the world for Charles, so it didn't bother her, as it did before they were married and still in Downton. They've stopped for a longer while to talk with Beryl, Mr Mason, Daisy and all the rest. After a while, they've said goodbye to them and decided to went back home, but on the way, looking one more time at some of the finest pigs from the show. When they stopped by one of the flocks and admired it, Elsie suddenly froze, when she heard a well known voice behind her:

“Elsie May Hughes! I can't believe my own eyes! Is that really you?”

Elsie and Charles turned around-he with the curiosity and she with a heavy heart, just to learn that the voice who said those words, belonged to the former Elsie's beau- Joe Burns, who was standing in front of them, with shining eyes, looking at Elsie like she was the only woman in the world...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that you are going to hate me now, but this is where we are stopping...I think that it is called a cliffhanger? Probably...;-) This way I have a guarantee, that you will come back to read the next chapter of the story...(Sorry, not sorry). Believe me, it is worth it...By the way, I have a very private celebration today. One year ago exactly, I have created an account on FF net and I started my fanfiction adventure. It was a great year and I wish to thank for those of you who have always supported me with their wonderful reviews, private messages etc. It's your accomplishment that I'm still here, writing my 27th story ;-) Pardon for any possible mistakes and if you liked it, please let me know. Stay safe and see you soon!


	21. Ghost from the past-part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone. It's nice to be here with you again. After a week from hell, writing Chelsie is pure bliss. As you may recall, in the last chapter, I left you in the interesting moment, at the pig show, where Joe Burns has suddenly appeared. How will Elsie and Charles react for this unexpected meeting? Let's see...Hope you will like this one.

“I can't believe it's really you Elsie. I wasn't expecting of meeting you here.”

“Hello. So good to see you again, but how are you here?”-Elsie was trying to have a poker face, even though she was a little terrified, seeing Joe standing in front of her. It was a bit surreal...

“I came for the show. I've been dealing with pigs for few years now and I try to attend all the most important events. When I found out about this one, I knew I had to came here, because this is the village you live in, so I couldn't miss a chance of seeing you again..”

Charles standing next to Elsie, furrowed his brow, not understanding who exactly is this man, who felt so familiar with his wife..He gathered that it must be an old friend of some kind, but he did not understood why he looked at Elsie in that way? What gave him a right to do that...His hand which was hidden in the pocket of his coat, suddenly clenched into a fist, as a strong feeling of jealousy took control over him...

“Elsie, are you going to introduce me?”

“Yes Charles. Of course I am...”-Elsie was still in a state of shock...”Charles, this is my old friend from Argyll- Joe Burns. And this is Charles Carson-my husband...”

Both men stiffened suddenly, when they realized who are they dealing with. Charles couldn't believe his own eyes and ears...So that was Joe Burns, man from his worst nightmares, the man who was trying to steal Elsie away from him in 1913, the man who was part of her past, that she really never talked about much. Charles may not have known a lot about Joe Burns himself, but he was sure of one thing. He hated that man. He hated him from the bottom of his heart. He still remembered that dreadful moment, when he appeared proposing to Elsie for the second time. He still remembered his own pain, his fear and his uncertainty from that time. This horrible fear, that Elsie will leave Downton and him, to live with this man. It wasn't the first moment when he realized that he loved Elsie, but it was crucial..Because it was the first moment, when he considered telling her about his true feelings that he had for her...It was a first wake up call for him, the real threat of losing her to somebody else...And now this cheeky man was standing here,in his presence, looking at his wife like he owned her. Like he had the right to speak to her that way...Charles felt that he would like to beat him him in the head, to wipe that little smile of his from his face..But that wasn't necessary, as Joe's face suddenly frowned, when he heard the word “husband” and he wasn't that cheeky anymore...

“Nice to meet you Mr Carson..”

“Same here Mr Burns...”-Charles triumph was clearly written on his face...

“So you got married after all Elsie...I would have never expected that, I have to admit..”

“I did...How long are you planning to stay in the village?”

“I'm actually leaving tomorrow...I was wondering...If you could have a coffee with me maybe...We could talk about the old days...Of course, with both of you...”

Charles looked at this man in disbelief...What was he doing? What was he thinking? He was actually believing that Elsie will agree to have coffee with him??? 

“It would be very nice to have coffee with you Joe. What do you say Charles?”

Charles couldn't believe what he heard...Elsie agreed to talk to this man? Was he hearing it right? There was no way for him to sit by one table with this person, so he used the first excuse that came into his mind instantly...

“Elsie you know that the family invited us for a glass of wine in the house, to celebrate Lady Mary's prize...We shouldn't let them down...”

“I know..But I'm sure they will understand. After all, it's not everyday that I meet an old friend..”

“As you wish Elsie...In that case, I will go to the house, to have a drink with the family and you and Mr Burns can have a trip down the memory lane, as long as you wish....I'll leave you to it...It was nice to meet you Mr Burns..”-Charles turned around, not looking at Elsie and went towards the Abbey, leaving Elsie in a state of greater shock than she was before. She was astound, that he left her all alone, without any explanation at all, with some pathetic excuse about having a drink with the family. She knew it wasn't true...She knew that he will probably not go to the Abbey. Her astonishment suddenly transferred into an anger. How could he have left her all alone? How could he behave like that? It was infuriating for her...She tried to pretend that everything was all right and she followed Joe to a little coffee house nearby...  
They were talking about different things, old friends from Argyll, old way of life, reminiscing how happy they were as young people...Elsie was participating in this conversation, but her mind was really somewhere else...She still couldn't get out of an awe of Charles's behavior...It was unthinkable...She came to a reality, only when Joe suddenly said something that brought her back to reality...

“You know Elsie...When I came here, it wasn't totally unplanned...I knew that there is a big chance of meeting you here, so I risked, but I would have never expected that I will hear that you are married...I didn't predict that...”

“Well, I am married. For four years now..”

“So, how did you meet?”

“We worked together in the Abbey. Charles was the butler.”

“And you've gotten together? Just like that?”

“We knew each other very long...”

“You knew me much longer than him, but in spite of that you refused to marry me...Twice..”

“That's because I didn't have feelings for you Joe...Sorry to say this, but it's the truth..”

“And you had feelings for him? Was that the reason that you rejected my second proposal in 1913? You already knew him then, didn't you?”

“I did...But I do not wish to go back to that subject anymore...We shouldn't be talking about it..It's a past now...”

“Maybe for you..But for me...Elsie...So, you had feelings for him, but does he have feelings for you?”

“Of course he does! We are very happy! Isn't it obvious?”

“To tell you the truth it isn't...I would have never left you alone with a strange man like he did, if you were my wife Elsie...”

“But I'm not your wife Joe...I'm Charles's wife and we love each other very much...”

“I don't believe that Elsie..He doesn't love you...Not the way I do...I came here for you Elsie...I wanted to propose again...You know what they say...Third time is a charm...”

“Well, you've missed it, because I'm already married...”

“There are always ways to fix that Elsie...”

“I don't want to fix that! There is nothing to be fixed! We are perfectly happy and I think we should definitely end this conversation now...I must go home..Go back to my husband...”

“Please stay Elsie...Don't go...I want you to stay...”-he grabbed Elsie's hand, trying to hold her in place

“I won't stay and if you do not let go of me, I will start to scream right now...I do not wish to ever see you again. Do you hear me? Never!”

Elsie stormed out of the coffee place, pacing towards the cottage, as quickly as she could, with all those feelings dancing inside her madly.. She was furious..At herself for being that stupid, to believe Joe's good intentions, for Joe for being pushy on her, when she clearly stated that she is happily married and for Charles, for leaving her like that, without explanation...

At the cottage...

Charles was walking all over the cottage uneasily...His anger was now gone, substituted by a deep hurt...He didn't understand why Elsie was so disloyal to him..Why she wanted to spent time with this man? They were old friends, that's true, but they also had a romantic past behind them..What if he was imposing to her right now? What if he wanted to steal her away from him? Charles knew he couldn't take it..He was normally sure of her feelings and her deep love for him, but the saddest and most darkest thoughts came into his mind, when he was all alone in the cottage....Elsie was his whole life and his whole world..The very thought of her with someone else was unbearable...Suddenly he felt that he couldn't possibly take it anymore..He had to go back there and tell this man to go to hell and bring his wife back home, where she belonged. Here. In this cottage. With him. Forever...This is how it was and how it always should be. He reached for his coat, ready to go back and deal with that damned Joe Burns, when he the door opened and he saw his beloved wife, with anger written all over her face, entering the cottage:

“Charles Carson! We have something to talk about! I can't believe your behavior today! You have a lot of explaining to do!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hate to end it here, but I have to...I promise to go back tomorrow and end the Joe Burns question, with a crucial conversation between Charles and Elsie...Sorry for any mistakes and I hope you liked this chapter a bit. If so, you know the drill ;-) Thank you for everything and see you soon!


	22. Ghost from the past-part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello dear people. Yesterday I finished the chapter in the most interesting moment..I'm getting good at this cliffhanger thing ;-) Anyway, here I am with the next part of the story. This chapter will close Joe Burns topic once for all. A lot of fierce Elsie in this one and I like fierce Elsie a lot ;-) The second part of the chapter will be M-rated, because...Just because ;-) Hope you will like it.

“So, you are home finally. I was beginning to think that you may have go away with your ex beau”-Charles was full of defensive attitude towards Elsie...

“Don't you start with a nonsense like that Charles Carson! I demand an explanation about your behavior! How could you have stormed out like that, leaving me there alone?”

“I didn't think that you would need my company in this particular moment. You seemed to be managing quite well on your own.”

“Is that so? Is this how a good husband should behave?”

“Oh, I don't know. Was that something that a good wife would do? Choosing a company of her old man, instead of being with her husband?”

“He is not my man and he never was and you know that very well! Better than anyone does! And what was the pathetic excuse about having a drink with the family? I didn't buy that for a second!”

“That was not a pathetic excuse. I was going to visit the Abbey!”

“But you didn't!”

“I've changed my mind on the way and decided to go back to the cottage, is that so weird?” 

“It wouldn't be weird, if this was true at any point. You were never going to visit the Abbey. You just wanted to get away, from God knows what reason. It was like you've seen the devil himself!”

“You really don't know the reason Elsie? You have no idea why I didn't want to spent one moment with that man???”

“Of course I have no idea. What has he ever done to you, that made you hate him so much?”

“He was trying to take you away from me, is that not enough reason??? He came out of nowhere again, to mess in our lives. I don't understand why did you want to talk to him in the first place?”

“Because he was my old, childhood friend. He came from Scotland and we met by coincidence. Was I to be rude and refused to have coffee with him?”

“Was it a coincidence? Really? Because I believe it wasn't. I believe he came here with a plan. A very specific one... Why did he want to speak to you? Tell me Elsie, why?”

“He wanted to reminisce the old times and old friends and..”

“And what? What else did he say to you? Please tell me the truth?? Didn't he came here to tell you that he still loves you? Because from my point of view he definitely does..Or am I wrong?”

“You are not wrong...He came here, because he still has feelings for me...He thought that I was single and he wanted to propose for the third time..”

“Thank you very much...That's all I needed to hear. Was he saying anything else?”

“Not much...Maybe except that..Never mind...”

“Except what? Tell me Elsie, what else did he tell you???”

“He told me, that he wants to be with me no matter what...That he doesn't mind that I'm married and that I can divorce you and be with him...”

“That damn man!!! I knew it...I sensed it from the moment he laid his eyes on you...He wasn't going to give up? Where is he staying? I will go there at once and beat that crazy ideas out of him!”-Charles neared the coat hangers and the door. Elsie pulled his sleeve, dragging him inside the room...

“You are not going to go anywhere! I won't let you! You will not beat him! This is below your dignity!”

“I will show this man where his place is...Not the first time he is crossing my way and wants to take what's mine..”

“Oh, really? Was I yours in 1913? Because, I don't recall us being together back then..”

“Well...We weren't, but...”

“But what?”

“But..I was...I was already..Back then..I was...”

“Come on! Spit it out at last Charlie!”

“I was in love with you back then! Are you happy now?!! Is that what you wanted to know?”

“This is exactly what I wanted to know! Because I was in love with you too back then...”

“You were? For real??”

“Of course for real, you old fool!! Why did you think I rejected him then? Because there was nobody else but you..Always you..”

“But you wanted to meet him today...You were flattered that he still likes you..Don't deny it Elsie...”

“I won't deny it..Every woman likes to know that a man fancies her...”

“In that case, maybe you were happy about his proposal...Maybe you want to come back there and tell him that you will agree for his proposal this time...After all, he is still in love with you..”

“And that's his problem. Not mine. I told him that he should get out of my sight and never come back here...”

“Perhaps you didn't mean it...”

“Will you stop with those tosh already?! Don't you know it by now, that you are the only man that I ever wanted to be with? The only man, that I was and still am madly in love with? Isn't it obvious for you every day, you crazy, old booby? If it isn't by now, I will show you how much you mean to me! Right here and right now!”-Elsie neared Charles and started to kiss him, with so much fervor and passion, like never before. Her lips just tasted him vigorously, making him week in his knees. He didn't expect such an eruption of passion from his wife. Elsie had a wild temper and there was no doubt about it, but she still managed to surprise him at times and that was one of those times...  
He very swiftly started to reciprocate her wild kisses, still filled with the terrifying feeling of loosing her to another...Elsie pushed of the jacket from his shoulders and started to unbutton his shirt, while her tongue penetrated the inside of his mouth, which caused the loud moans of desire from him...Her hands were all over him..She touched him whenever she could reach...  
Charles undressed a bit of Elsie too and they both felt that something amazing is about to happen, when they parted for breath, she whispered with hoarse voice:

“Let's go to bed Charles..Now...I will show you and prove to you, how much you mean to me and how much I love you...All of you...”

Those racy words made his blood boiled..He let her take his hand and watch mesmerized, as she lead him up the stairs towards their bedroom...He had a feeling, that this time there will be something different...Something new, that he hasn't experienced with her yet..They were passionate lovers for over four years, but there was something new and exciting about Elsie's behavior today..She was determined to drove him over the edge and he was more than ready to take it...  
When they were already in the bedroom, they didn't waste time..They undressed as quickly as they could and lied on the bed, kissing again, with increasing fervorness. Elsie grabbed the hair and ran her fingers through it, massaging his neck..She knew how much he adored it..She took the lead, moving him onto his back and leant down on him, marking his face with small, sweet kisses...She went down, through his neck and his chest...Once again, she couldn't get out of an awe, how marvelously build her husband was...So strong and manly..He belonged to her...Her lips didn't want to miss any part of his chest, tasting him over and over...Her wild caresses set a fire within him...He loved when Elsie was so wild...So erratic...She whispered between the kisses:

“I love you Charlie...Only you..Always you...Don't you ever dare to forget it...You are mine and only mine...”

“I love you too my sweet...So very much.....Elsie..You are wonderful...Amazing...Oh Els!”

The sudden exclamation was made by Charles, when his wife's lips touched his most sensitive place... It wasn't very often that she did this to him..But each time she did, he was in heaven...To feel her, soft, wet lips on his manhood, was incomparable to anything else..Soon her tongue joined her lips and she closed around his shaft...His gasps and moans were indicating quite precisely how much he appreciated Elsie's efforts to please him...Once again, he wondered how on earth was she so good at pleasing him...It must have been the enormous love that she felt for him, that caused such amazing results...Very soon, all the coherent thoughts has left his head, as she effectively drove him to the brink of ecstasy...  
She gave him a moment to go back to reality and she kissed her way up, showering him with all the deepness of her love and desire for him...

“Elsie...”-he whispered...”What you just gave me....It was incredible..I love you so much...”

“And I love you...Like I never loved and never will love anyone else...I want you to always remember that...All the time..You are the only one in the world for me...And that's how it's going to be..Forever...”

“It's the same with me my love...You are the only one for me too...I've never loved any other woman, just like I love you..That's why I was so jealous...I couldn't stand the thought that this man came here to take you away from me...”

“Nobody will ever take me away from you...I hope you do understand that now...There is no other place in the world, I would rather be, than in your arms...And there is noting more that I want to do, till the rest of my life, than to show you how much I love you and to please you endlessly...”

“Not so fast my sweetheart...I do think that I have something to do in this area too...It's my turn to show you some things...”

Elsie smiled, hearing those words..She was more than glad, to let Charles show her how much he loved her...He kissed her so softly, with such delicacy..Just like she adored it the most...Those kind of kisses always turned her on the most and very soon, she felt that she opened to him like a blossoming flower.. She was all his and it wasn't vulgar on inappropriate...It was so right and so special...That she was ready for her man...Soon his lips reached the pink peaks of her breasts. He licked and sucked them reverently, which made her moan in pleasure..His hand went down, to land between her thighs and he gasped with pleasure, feeling how really ready she was for him...He stroked her there gently, enjoying her writhing on the bed...By now, he knew exactly which spot should he hit, to cause her greatest pleasure..

While his lips were still playing with the hardened nipples, his hand soon sent her over the edge and she came very hard, calling his name...His eyes were open all the time...He didn't want to waste a chance of this beautiful view of his wife, reaching her glorious climax...There wasn't anything more beautiful for him to see and to his own amazement, he felt that he was ready again..Ready to make love to her...Which wasn't so typical at his age...He caressed her body delicately and lifted himself up, for the very well known ritual for both of them-his silent question and her silent answer, which was always-yes...As it was this time...Not wanting to wait any longer, he entered her slowly and they started to move, united in one mutual goal-to go there, where they always went together..

To their, own private paradise...They looked each other in the eyes, while their bodies and there souls were connected.... Charles was the first one to get there and he groaned with pleasure..Elsie soon followed him...They lied so close..Still touching themselves...Too exhausted to talk...But extremely happy...She was touching his chest...Making small circles around his nipples and he was caressing the outside of her thigh...Elsie put her head in the crook of his neck, wanting to be as close to him, as it was possible and he kissed her temple lovingly...Very soon, they both drifted to sleep...Lucky to have each other and their amazing love...  
At one point of the night, near the dawn, they woke up and made love once more...This time, Charles was spooning Elsie from behind and she gladly accepted this position, giving her new kind of experiences...After that, they fell asleep again and woke up at rather late hour, both still naked and so relaxed...  
Elsie smiled to Charles and he kissed her forehead with immense affection...

“Charlie...That was the most amazing night ever since our honeymoon...You have outdid yourself...The pleasure that I felt....I think it was the most intense, that I've had so far...”

“I'm very glad to hear that wifey...How do you think? Perhaps, I should sent a letter to Mr Burns, repeating him what you just said, just so he didn't have any doubts to who you belong...”

“Charles Carson! If you ever dare to...!”

“Just kidding Els...Just kidding...Oh, wait, I think that I will still be able to catch him, before his return train to Scotland and tell him about that personally...”

“Don't tempt me Mr Carson, because I just may let you do that...”-Elsie and Charles burst with laughter, tangling their naked bodies among the sheets...Love and laughter filled the bedroom at their little cottage, not left space for anything else in that moment...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok...So that's it for today...I sincerely hope you liked it a bit, because I had great fun writing this chapter...Relaxed as never before...Happiness, love and a little “sheet action” are my favorite Chelsie themes...Sorry for any mistakes and if you enjoyed it please let me know...I will have to think about the continuation of this story-whether to leave it here or create some new adventures for retired Chelsie..If you have any ideas about that, I'm waiting for your opinions. Thank you for everything and see you soon!


	23. Garden fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello dear people. I made a two week break from the story, wondering if I should continue and I decided that I should. Some of you really like the story and I used this break to get some new ideas, so probably I will write few more chapters about Charles and Elsie's retirement. In this one, we will accompany Chelsie during their garden work and Mrs Patmore will pay them an unexpected visit, to have an unusual request for Elsie (as always). I hope you will like it.

On this warm June morning, Charles woke up and his face brightened with a smile, as he saw that the sun was shining. It looked that a beautiful day was ahead of him. He felt incredibly happy, because it was raining for the last three days and he wasn't able to do anything in the garden, which made him miserable. He started few things and couldn't have finished it, because of the weather. So he stayed home, being in grumpy mood, made some sarcastic remarks from time to time, drove Elsie crazy and caused a lot of her eye rolling. He was relieved that this day will be different. He turned away from the window and rolled on the other side, decided to get up and start his garden work immediately, without having breakfast. The sight of soundly sleeping Elsie, caused the warmest smile on his face. He touched her cheek delicately, not wanting to wake her up. He brushed away a curl from her face and covered her tightly with a blanket, even though there was no need for that, as the morning was exceptionally warm, which was not a rule, even by the end of June. English summer was always unpredictable.

Elsie didn't even move in her sleep, so Charles decided to get up quietly, being careful not to wake her. She must have been tired after those last, three days, which she spent with him in the cottage, putting up with not the best of his behavior. He leant over her, gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead and got up to go to the garden.

About an hour or more later, Elsie also started to wake up slowly, stretching comfortably on the bed. She reached her arm on the side, to feel her husband, but to her disappointment, she only found an empty spot. She groaned her displeasure and looked at the window, to find that the sun was shining and a beautiful, warm day was about to begin. She immediately understood where Charlie must have been. Her old curmudgeon was probably working in the garden. She knew how anxious he was to do that for the last three days. She guessed that he probably went into the garden, without having a proper breakfast. She got up, took a bath, got dressed and went downstairs. She looked through the window downstairs, only to find Charles totally absorbed in his garden work. She smiled, thinking how good it is that he found his hobby, being retired. If he didn't have his garden...Elsie was reluctantly thinking about his mood from the last days. He was not bearable, when he didn't have anything to do. It was better that way.

She swiftly decided to make him a traditional English breakfast, with toast, eggs, sausages-all the stuff that he liked so much. If he intends to stay in the garden all day, he must have a strength to do that. She went to the kitchen and kept herself busy, with the breakfast, humming an old Scottish melody from her childhood. She was so occupied with what she was doing, that she didn't even notice when Charles entered the cottage, allured by the tasty smells coming from the kitchen. He was working in the garden for almost two hours now and he felt a solid hunger.

When he saw his beloved wife, so happily humming and so focused on making a yummy breakfast for him, his heart was flooded with the wave of love. He still couldn't get out of an awe, how much he loved Elsie. His love for her seemed to grow stronger everyday. He had a feeling that he now loved her much more than before they got married, if that was even possible.   
He got closer to her from behind and grabbed her waist, nuzzling her neck...

“Charlie...You are here...I didn't see you come in..”

“Well, no wonder...You were so busy with this delicious food for us..Mmm...Good morning my sweet wife...”

“Good morning my hard-working from the dawn husband”-Elsie turned around, to give him the morning kiss, which lasted a while longer than she expected...

“How wonderful is to start the day with my favorite girl and a breakfast that looks enticing”

“I think you have already started your day a while ago, while I was still sleeping..”

“You are right about that...When I got up, you were still snoring..”

“I was not!”

“Oh yes you were my love...Very lightly, but still...”

“You are just teasing me...One more word and I will eat that all by myself..”

“We can't have that...What can I do to fix my insensitivity?”

“On the top of my head...Maybe just give me one more kiss?”

“Your wish is my command...”

They've kissed softly...Elsie clung to Charles, feeling this special warm and a sense of safety, that she always had, when Charles was so close...

“Mm....You have fully deserved this breakfast my dearest husband...Come on, help me get this to the table..”

“Yes Mylady...”

Soon the breakfast was at the table. Elsie and Charles were enjoying it, sitting side by side...

“You must be so happy about the weather. Finally you can have a quality time with your garden..”

“I'm very happy. That rain over the last few days have drove me crazy and got me in a pretty bad mood..”

“You don't say Charles Carson...You keep forgetting I live with you and your bad moods for a while..”

“I'm sorry sweetheart..I know that I was a little grumpy..”

“A little?”

“Maybe a lot...Won't happen again..I promise...”

“Can I write that down?”

“You my darling, can do anything you want, for that delicious breakfast you made. I was so hungry..”

“I bet you were...”

“What are your plans for today Elsie?”

“I was thinking that I should go to the village, to search some wedding present for Daisy. It's less than a week to her wedding and we still have not got anything for her.”

“We can go tomorrow, together. I'm sure that we will find something for her. I don't want you to go to the village alone. I hate the thought of you going anywhere alone, after this dreadful thing that happened to you in the woods...”

“Don't even remind me of that...All right Charlie...In that case, we will go tomorrow, together...But what should I do today? I haven't planned anything really...”

“Maybe you could...Help me in the garden? I have few things that I would like to finish today and who knows if the weather won't get worse tomorrow...Would you help me?”

“Of course I will help you Charlie...That way we will spent this nice, summer day together outside...You have a brilliant idea..”

Charles beamed form joy, hearing such a compliment from his wife...He loved when she praised his intelligence and Elsie very soon figured it out and she was tickling his ego from time to time, as any wise woman would do...

When they ate, Charles went back to the garden and Elsie took care of the dishes. When she cleared everything up, she went outside and they both delved into the garden work. Elsie knelt into the ground, helping Charles to plant the flowers, that he so cautiously selected at Bakewell's. Charles was busy with his own work, but after a while, when he felt that a moment of break is needed for him, he looked at his wife. She was so pretty and so adorable, sitting in the ground, with her hair slightly tousled, focused so attentively on helping him...He sighed, thinking once again, how incredibly happy man he was...The happiest man in the world, having this wonderful woman as his wife...She was perfect in every area. Well organized, swift, effective in running a house, she was a lot better in cooking, than she was in the beginning of their marriage. And most of all, she was a loving, passionate wife, who was as eager as he was, to transfer their intimate life into a higher level...Constantly...Years went by and they still wanted each other so much, as they did in the beginning of their marriage and in some ways even more...When all those thoughts entered his head, he couldn't stop himself and felt that he has to kiss her. Right here and right now...He neared Elsie and kissed her cheek, hugging her closely...She was astound by his behavior..

“Charlie...What's gotten into you? I thought that we are suppose to work in the garden and not...”

“There is no harm in doing a little break, is there..?”

“No harm at all sweetie...”

She put her arms around his neck and they started to kiss...The heat was arising between them momentarily...Carried away by the growing passion, Charles pressed Elsie into the ground while he lied on her...Elsie shifted uneasily...

“Charlie...I'm not sure if we should...Here and now..What if someone sees us here?”

“Who can possibly see us here Els? We are all alone...That is an advantage of living in a secluded cottage..Nobody can see us here..Relax love...Just let me enjoy you...”

“Oh Charlie...I....”- Elsie never finished that sentence, as her husband's hunger for her, made it impossible....His soft, warm lips, were caressing her in such sensual way, that she immediately forgot about all her fears and doubts...She moaned quietly into his mouth, as he kept on kissing her...Her body which was a little tensed earlier, now began to fully relaxed and her hands were moving on his body, up and down...Her signs of approval, reassured Charles, how much Elsie was really enjoying this and so did he...There was something so incredibly primal, and exciting, to kiss and caress her, on the open air, lying on the ground, united with mother nature...Charles felt that if they weren't outside, he would have probably very quickly transferred their intimate encounter to the next stage by now...He was incredibly aroused by having Elsie like that...Here...Encircled by his piece of work...Feeling a need of breath, he reluctantly parted with Elsie's lips and started to move further down, wanting to taste her neck...

Elsie gave up to his sweet smooches...She was unable to move, to think, to even care, that they were outside...The whole world ceased to exist, as his lips were doing those things to her...His hands touching different parts of her body, doubled the pleasure...She was whispering his name, as a clear sign of enchantment of his actions...She opened her eyes, wanting not only to feel, but also to see the proof of his love and desire and when she did, she managed to notice some shadow, in the shape of a human being, appearing on her side...She wanted to react, to check what that was, but before she was able to do that, she heard a well known voice...

“Ehmmmm”-Mrs Patmore grunted, a little embarrassed, by what she just witnessed, but not that much...”Well, well, our love birds are having their second honeymoon...”

Charles and Elsie jumped off from each other at once, terrified by being caught in such intimate moment..

“Beryl...What are you..How did you..?”

“How did I get here? Simple. There is only one road to the cottage from the Abbey. I used it...”-Beryl was clearly amused by the situation, which was more than it could be said about Charles and Elsie, who tried to behave as dignified, as it was possible in that moment...

“We just..We were working in the garden and we took a little break...”-Charles's face was red and he simply wasn't able to look Mrs Patmore in the eyes...

“Clearly you are...Really sorry to disturb you in your...Hmmm...Garden work, but there is one more important matter, that I wish to speak with you Elsie...”

“In that case, please come join me in the cottage. We will have some tea.. Charles, will you manage on your own here?”-Elsie asked Charles politely, trying to sound as normally as possible...

“Yes, of course. I will manage. Don't worry. I won't disturb you in your conversation.”-Charles was very happy about the fact, that he could get out of the way of Mrs Patmore. He was seriously concerned about what he might hear from her, if they stayed there longer.  
Elsie and Beryl went inside and Elsie started to prepare tea and some light snacks for her friend.

“Elsie, I'm really sorry about interrupting you and barging in like that, without giving you a warning...”

“That's really ok Beryl...I would like us to both forget what you just witnessed today...It was very uncomfortable for us and probably for you too...”

“Don't you worry about me...I'm made of sterner stuff...Besides, I really think it's lovely that you and Mr Carson still can't keep your hands from each other, even after being married for so long..It gives me hope...”

“Beryl, really! I ask you...”

“No need to be so shocked Elsie. We are both married now and there is no need to feel embarrassed. We know that part of life...”

“You said you wanted to speak with me about something?”

“I did. Actually, the thing I wish to speak with you about, is connected to this topic...”

“My,my...! Please don't tell me that I should have another conversation with Mr Mason...”Elsie smiled warmly to her friend..

“There is no need for that.. We are managing quite well in this area. Thank you very much...But there is a conversation about it that you need to have. That both and you and I need to have, but not with Bill. With Daisy.”

“Daisy? You mean? About?...”

“Yes. Precisely. She is getting married in less than a week and I feel I ought to speak to her about those matters...”

“And why exactly you need me there?”

“I thought that it would be much better if we both talk to her...You have so much more experience than I do...”

“We both have it now. That's what you said yourself few moments ago...”

“I have, but you have been talking about this with your maids for years..You know how to handle those conversations, better than I do...And your are married for so much longer than I am, so probably you know a lot more than I do...Judging by what I saw today..Much, much more...”-Beryl had a cheeky grin on her face once more...

“Beryl, if you will mention this one more time, I swear that I will leave you alone with this...”

“All right, all right...So, will you help me please? Will you talk to Daisy with me?”

“I will...I have a feeling that it's not going to be easy...”

“Same here...I just want her to be prepared for this...She is like a daughter to me...”

“I know she is...I like our Daisy very much..We both know her since she was such a young girl...Whatever will be, will be...I'm going to help you..”

“Thank you...I can be calm now...Knowing that Daisy will get her marriage advice from such an experienced wife as you are...”

“Beryl...”

“Just kidding Elsie, just kidding...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for today...I was planning to write a short chapter and...This happened....Hope you won't be bored with it...Just a sample of everyday Chelsie life, with our beloved Mrs Patmore witnessing such an intimate moment. I had fun writing it and I hope you will have fun reading it. Sorry for possible mistakes. Stay safe and see you soon!


	24. Awkward conversations and bad news

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello to you. Thank you for your reviews after yesterday's chapter. I'm catching the last rays of sun this summer, so there is no better opportunity than this to write another one. In this one, we will go through the conversation with Daisy, that Elsie and Beryl intended to have recently. Plus Charles has a plan which needs Elsie's approval. Hope you will like this one.  
> Warning: A little bit of anxiety by the end of the chapter.

Elsie and Charles were sitting on the sofa, close to the window, after dinner, looking at the beautiful sunset displaying in front of their eyes...At this time of year, days were very long and the weather was quite pleasurable...Elsie was leaning on the sofa and Charles sat very close to her, having his head on her breasts. His arms were wrapped around her waist tightly and she was scratching the base of his neck gently, which caused a series of satisfaction growls from him...Elsie smiled, hearing those sounds.

“Charlie, you are growling like a full and very satisfied bear...”

“That's because I feel like one....We had such a delicious dinner tonight, prepared by the fair hands of my lovely wife and now, I'm sitting here, cuddling my little precious...What's not to be satisfied about?”

“I guess you are right...The simplest things are always the most pleasurable ones...”

“I can think of some other pleasurable stuff..But not necessarily so simple...”

“Charles Carson! What are you thinking about again?”-Elsie pretended that she is outraged, but instead of moving away from her man, she pulled him nearer and kissed the tip of his nose few times...

“What am I always thinking about my love, having you so close....? Is there any possibility to stop myself from thinking about this?”

“Apparently there isn't...I love you my big, cuddly teddy bear...”-Elsie placed few more kisses to his cheeks and his hair and he grinned form joy and put his head on her breasts again, caressing her sides...

“I love you too my sweetheart...So very much...You can't blame me for not being able to stop expressing my love...”

“I'm not blaming you exactly...It's just that you see how sometimes that ends...We were caught by Beryl...”

“Don't even remind me of that...I hope she will never mention this to anyone...”

“You can be sure of that...I made her promise this and in return, she asked me to join her in this awkward conversation that we are suppose to have with Daisy...”

“Elsie, you had these kind of conversations with your maids many times. It shouldn't be that hard on you...”

“Yes, but that was different...I used to instruct them more about how to handle being a woman..How women bodies work, taught them about the woman cycle...Besides, you know how it is...Maids come and go and Daisy? I know her since she was 12...And this conversation will be about more than just how to be a woman...We are suppose to tell her about marital duties...It is going to be very awkward..Like having a conversation with a growing daughter about the birds and the bees..”

“But Beryl will be there too...I'm sure you two will be fine...”

“I don't expect much help from Beryl..She clearly let me know, that I should talk, because I have more experience and know much more about marital duties, because I'm married longer than she is..”

“That's true...You know much more about it than Beryl..Although I don't really like the term “marital duties...”

“I'm not a fan of it myself Charlie..Especially now...When I know that this is not a duty, but a pleasure...”-Elsie smiled to her husband warmly and she gave him a very soft kiss to his lips...He looked at her with utter adoration...

“Do you really think so Els....? Is it a pleasure for you?...”

“You know very well that it is...Don't my reactions tell you this, when we are...Together...”

“Oh, they certainly do...But as a man, nothing gives me more delight than the knowledge that I can please my wife...”-He kissed her fully on the lips... When they parted, she stroked his face delicately, thinking how lucky she is, to have such a wonderful man...Who cares so much about her pleasure..

“You give me plenty of it and I hope that it's always going to be that way...I wouldn't want our love connection to ever stop...”

“It won't..I promise...I will never stop loving you or wanting you...Till I have any stamina left...”

“And I will make sure that you have it..”

“So, do you intend to tell Daisy that it's not a duty, but a pleasure?”

“I will try to mention it somehow, but not giving away any details...”

“I certainly hope not! Those details are our little secrets...”

“Always Charlie...Only our secrets...”

They've kissed once more and Charles nestled into Elsie closely...He figured that it was the right moment to ask her something...

“Elsie...My sweet...I have a favor to ask you...”

“What is it honey?”

“I was wondering...Tomorrow, when I will walk you to the Abbey, for your conversation...Would it be all right if I went to Ripon for few hours?”

“Why do you want to go there Charlie?”

“Well, you see...There is an auction there...At Brinkley's house and my friend Mr Watts is going there and he asked me if I want to go with him. Apparently there will be plenty of good deals there...”

“I was afraid of that Charlie...I heard about that auction and I was afraid that you will want to take part in it...You feel a special need of buying some objects belonging to the rich people?”

“Not especially, but you know....There are plenty of interesting objects on such occasions and who knows? I might be able to buy something really nice for our cottage...”

Charles looked at Elsie with such a face of an innocent boy, who wants to make a harmless trick, but is afraid that he will be caught...Elsie couldn't help but smile, when she saw his face...

“All right..I agree Charlie...But please, promise me you won't strain our budget too much...”

“Thank you Elsie...That makes me so happy...I had a feeling that you will agree...”

“That sweet face of an asking puppy helped you to achieve your goal...”

“I knew it may become handy...I've seen how Rupert does it and he always gets what he wants from you...”-Charles was grinning at Elsie...

“And you were not wrong...But...I feel that I may need a little more of convincing...”

“And what more can I do to convince you exactly?...”

“I think you know that very well Charlie....And if you don't, I will show you what I meant...”-Elsie took her husbands hand decisively and lead him upstairs to their bedroom....

The next day...

The next morning Charles and Elsie had a little difficulties to get up, as their night lovemaking lasted exceptionally long..They got up rather tired, but happy, focused on this day's tasks...After the breakfast, Charles walked Elsie to the Abbey and he made her promise, that she will wait there for him. He didn't want her to ever go home alone.. She solemnly promised him that and they said goodbye by the back door of the Abbey, stealing some hurried, but affectionate kisses...  
Charles went towards the station and Elsie walked into the servants hall. When she glanced at her old sitting room, she saw Beryl, Anna and Miss Baxter, standing in the circle, admiring Daisy, who was just trying on her wedding dress. Elsie stood there like charmed, by the sight of Daisy. The dress was very simple. White silk, with some lace ornaments in the top part of the dress. The simplicity of the gown was in perfect match with Daisy's personality. Daisy was a simple girl and that dress fitted her ideally. Elsie thought that she watched Daisy growing up and now she will watch her getting marry and have babies, probably very soon...It was amazing how the time has passed...

“Daisy you look lovely my dear...”-Elsie was genuinely enchanted...

“Thank you Mrs Carson...I'm glad you like it..Don't you think it's too decorative?”

“You fool girl! It's perfect! I keep telling her that the lace is necessary, but she wants it out...”-Beryl was irritated at Daisy

“I just don't want to look like a doll”

“You look beautiful Daisy. Andy is a lucky, young man”-said Mrs Baxter

“They are both lucky and I'm sure they will have a very happy marriage”-said Anna.

“Speaking about marriage...There is something that Elsie..Mrs Carson and I want to talk about with Daisy. Anna, Miss Baxter, would you mind leaving us alone now?”

“Not at all”-Miss Baxter replied and they both left the room, leaving Daisy wearing her wedding dress with Elsie and Beryl.

Beryl closed the door behind them and crossed eyes with Elsie understandingly...

Elsie cleared her throat, not being sure how to start this conversation...

“Daisy....You are getting married in few days and Mrs Patmore and I, would like to discuss something with you...”

“What is it Mrs Carson? You look so serious...”

“Because the question is very serious...Please have a sit..You see...When you start your marriage life, you ought to know, that a married woman has some duties..A special kind of duties..”

“You mean like running the house and taking care about her husband? That's what you are talking about Mrs Carson? Because I have already talked about that with Andy and I made sure that he knows, that we are both to be responsible for domestic matters. We are both working and soon I will be a cook in the Abbey, so there is no need that I'm the only one that...”

“It's not that you daft girl! I don't understand why you needed to learn and read books, if you still don't understand anything?”-Beryl was clearly very nervous and as always, she took that out on Daisy...” Those modern girls...You need to take care for your husband or he will run away and find a better wife, besides you are not a cook yet! Not till I will retire...”

“But you will retire in the fall..That's what you told me? Are you changing your mind now Mrs Patmore? Because if you are..”

“I'm not changing my mind, but...”

“Girls, girls..Please...There is no need to argue here...You are both very nervous and I can't blame you for that, but please let me say what I have to say...”

“Go on Mrs Carson. We won't disturb you anymore...”

“Good...As I was saying...Being married means new kinds of duties for you Daisy...I'm talking about marital duties...”

“Oh....”-Daisy suddenly understood where Elsie was going and she felt a little shy...

“Do you know anything about it at all?”

“Yes Mrs Carson...”

“And how would you know it?”

“I've asked Anna about it..She is more my age and I thought that it would be less embarrassing to talk to her about it..She gave me Marie Stopes book to read and when I read it, she answered all my questions, so I think I'm prepared for everything...”

Elsie was so relieved hearing this, that she felt like she wanted to fly...She heard a sigh of relief from Mrs Patmore, behind her back too...

“I understand...You don't have any additional questions for us?”

“No...I don't think so Mrs Carson...Everything is quite clear to me..”

“Good...In that case you should now change, before you will meet your future husband somewhere...You know it's unlucky if the groom sees the bride in her wedding dress”

“I will change in a minute...But don't worry about Andy. He has his half day off and he went to do some shopping in Ripon. He is suppose to go back in one of the afternoon trains.

“What a coincidence. Mr Carson went to Ripon today too and I expect him to go back very soon. They will most probably go back on the same train..”

“I'm sure they will...I'm going to get change...”

“Will you please ask Anna here for a moment, if she is not busy?”

“I will”

Daisy left, leaving Elsie and Beryl extremely happy about avoiding the difficult conversation. When Anna joined them, they both thanked her from the bottom of their hearts and Anna replied, that it it's no big deal. If she could help anyone, she was happy...  
They were sitting and chatting joyfully for a while, with Daisy joining them, after she got changed. Suddenly they heard a strange noise coming from the back door. Some heavy footsteps, very unusual...They all went to the hall, eager to find out what that was and they stood there like pillars of salt...Andy had his clothes partially torn and had few scratches on his face..They all encircled him at once, asking what was the matter and the answer they got, made Elsie weak in her knees:

“The return train that I took from Ripon had a crash...There are a lot of wounded and few people are dead...”

That was the last words that Elsie heard, before all the room went dark and she fell to the floor...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hate me but that's all for today...I think that I now got really used to that cliffhanger thing...You are an intelligent people so I don't have to tell you why Elsie fainted....Was Charles on the same train that Andy? You need to read the next chapter to find that out...;-) Sorry for any mistakes and if you liked it, you know what to do ;-) Thanks for everything and see you soon!


	25. Perfect ending of an awful day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome everyone. Judging by the responses I got after the last chapter, you really liked it. I'm really sorry that an update took me another week, but real life calls me all the time. This wasn't how I planned this, but that's how it is. Anyway, let's find out what happened to Charles....Hope you will like it.  
> Warning: This chapter will be very soppy, because that's how my current mood is...

“Thank God, she is finally opening her eyes..”-Mrs Patmore said with a shaky voice and that was the first thing that Elsie heard, when she opened her eyes. “Elsie, how are you feeling?”

“I am...I am...Oh my God!...Charlie!....What happened to him? Where is he...?”

“Shhh...Just calm down please...It's all right....Andy has not seen Mr Carson anywhere...It is possible that he was not on the same train...”

“But we don't know that...We can't be sure...What if he was on the same train? What if he got injured or...”

“Calm down Elsie...I sent Billy to the station. He should be able to find out something...”

“I need to go to the station myself. I need to look for him. Maybe he is there somewhere, waiting for me..He needs me...”

“You are not going to go anywhere...You are too weak...Just wait till Billy will give us some news..Here...Have some coffee...It will help you...”

“Oh Beryl..If anything happens to Charles, I will....”

“I'm sure he is fine....Elsie...Don't worry...”-Elsie took a sip of coffee, that Beryl gave her and she was sitting next to her friend, who had no idea how to comfort her in those terrible moments...She had never seen Elsie so shaken and so discomposed as now...Once again, she had a chance to find out what enormous love there is between her friend and Mr Carson...It was almost like they were one heart and one soul, but in two different bodies...

When Billy came back from the station, Elsie ran towards the hall and Beryl followed her steps immediately, being afraid that that sudden movement will cause Elsie fainting again, but Elsie wasn't going to faint. She was standing in the hall, hearing how Billy was telling, that he asked few people, including the station master about Mr Carson and nobody seen him among the victims of the crash. Billy was inquisitive, so he kept on asking, until the poor man-Mr Bowman, who was helping on the station, everyday, doing some little repairs, told him that he in fact saw Mr Carson, coming back from Ripon, but he was quite sure that he came back, taking an earlier train. 

When Elsie heard the news, she felt weakness in her knees once more and she leaned on the wall, not wanting to fall again. She was so incredibly happy. Charles was alive and he probably went to the cottage, however she felt that she needs to make sure that he is safe and she wanted to go back to the cottage at once..  
Beryl stopped her, asking her to sit down for a while, to calm down, but Elsie didn't want to hear about it. She couldn't be calm, unless she was sure that Charles was safe..

When Beryl saw that no force in the world, could possibly stop her friend from going back, she just asked to wait one moment and she tiptoed to the kitchen, coming back swiftly, with a basket filled with a dinner meal and desserts, telling Elsie that she will probably not be able to cook tonight. She also extorted on Billy to walk down Elsie to the cottage and carry the basket, which he did. He walked her to the door, where he gave her the basket. Elsie thanked him and told him to go back to the Abbey, wanting to be alone with Charles. She wouldn't want anybody witnessing their meeting.  
She came inside the house, closed the door behind her and put that rather heavy basket on the shelve, by the door. For a moment she froze, not seeing Charles in the living room, but very soon her heart was filled with happiness, as she saw him walking down the stairs to greet her. He was alive, safe and sound...Her eyes filled with tears. She fell into his arms immediately, nestling into him closely...

“Charlie....Oh my God...Charlie..You are really here...My love...My darling...”-She covered his face in sweet, little kisses, holding him and touching, like she wanted to make sure that he was really here, with her, that he was real...

“Elsie..Baby...What happened? Why are you crying sweetie? What's wrong? Has somebody hurt you?”

“No! Nobody hurt me. I thought that something happened to you...I was in the Abbey and Andy came back from Ripon and he told us that the return train from Ripon had a crash and that there are people injured and killed...I thought that you were among them...Oh Charlie...You are alive..Safe...Thank God for this...I love you...I love you so much...If anything had happened to you...”

“Elsie...My angel...I'm all right...I took the earlier train from Ripon, because there wasn't anything interesting at the auction and there was no point of staying there longer...I thought that it was too early to pick you up from the Abbey..I figured that you want to spent some more time with Beryl, Daisy and all the rest..I didn't even realize that there was a train crash at all..Oh, my sweetheart...What you must have been through...My precious....”-Now he was the one kissing her face and chasing her tears away... When their lips met, his kisses were soft and loving ones, whilst hers were avid and very passionate...She wrapped her arms around his neck, adhering to him with all her body...She never felt such huge relief in her life...Her beloved man, her Charlie, was alive and safe in her arms...All she wanted to do, was to show him how much he means to her..How much she loves him...When they stopped kissing and she looked him in the eyes, there was something about her glance, that sent shivers down his spine...Love, desire, devotion...Her eyes said it all...She touched his face reverently and she whispered something that made his body on fire again:

“Charlie...Can we please go to our bedroom now? I want to be with you...I have to be with you..Now...

“Els....My love...I...”..-Charles was so astonished....Elsie was rarely that open, when it came to their marriage relations...She was eager, no doubt about it, but usually he was the one who took initiative... She kissed him once more, tasting him voraciously and he followed her into their bedroom, without any hesitation...He watched mesmerized, as she lead them towards their bed and as she started to get rid of his clothes, taking care of hers in a meantime...Very soon, they were both naked and Elsie kissed Charles with a vigor, that he found extremely pleasurable...Her soft, delicate hands were wandering all around his body...

She was caressing him, touching him, letting him know how dear he was to her...When her lips left his, she was marking her way to his favorite spot below the ear, through the neck, to his chest, which she covered with most adorable and most doting kisses...Charles was so happy and so relaxed..The way she indulged him, made him want to howl to the moon, shouting to the world, what a wonderful wife he has...When her hand reached his sensitive spot and she closed it around it, he moaned..He adored her soft, delicate touches...Everyone of them, but this in particular...He opened his eyes, wanting to enjoy her smooches, with all his senses and he saw where she was heading...Where her lips finally got to that place, he closed his eyes again, exhaling deeply...

“Oh Els...”-that was all that he managed to say, while his wife's sweet love sent an electric jolt in him...He was in heaven, but he didn't want this to end too quickly...He would love that moment to go on and on...He gently pulled her higher and they kissed again...He turned them that way, so she lied beneath him and he started to nibble her neck on both sides..Breathing in her floral scent...Thinking how much he loves her and that there is nothing more beautiful in the world for him, than those sweet moments between them..He sensed what a big shock Elsie must have been through today, how worried she was about him and he wanted to make it up to her...To show her what her love means to him...His lips moved to one of his favorite parts of her body...Her breasts..He cherished both of them, equally, in turns...Hearing her moans of pleasure, with a clear satisfaction...

“Charlie...Oh God...Charlie...Oh don't stop, please....”

“I will never stop Elsie....Never..Till I have any breath in my body...”-He whispered hoarsely...”I do love you so much...”

He kissed his way up...Desperate to feel her soft lips on his again...He kissed her with an increasing fervor, putting his tongue inside her mouth...His arousal was growing with every minute...After a while, his lips made a return trip, down her body and his goal was specific...Elsie shuddered beneath him, when she felt him on her centre...His lips and tongue did their best to bring her to the brink of ecstasy and it didn't take very long to do that...When she came under his skilled tongue, she exclaimed his name, as her world suddenly shattered...

Charles watched, as his most precious one came down from her high and when she opened her blurry eyes and he saw her smile, he felt such pride, as he always felt, every time when he could please her in such manner...It was incomparable with anything else..He could spent all his time, watching how Elsie reaches her peak, because there was no sight more beautiful for him, than this one...He gave her a steadying kiss and looked her in the eyes, seeking silently for permission and as always, this permission was granted...

Not wanting to wait a minute longer, he entered her, with one, swift motion, which was easy, considering how very ready she was for him and once again, they started their marital intercourse, full of love and passion, that was so strong in both of them...It was pure bliss...They never wanted it to end..They were gasping and panting, when they both reached their glorious climaxes, among the loving whispers, ensuring one another of their love...  
When it was over, Charles fell down on to the cushions, drawing Elsie close to him...She put her head in the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent, as she liked to do, when they finished their love making and he held her tightly, planting kisses into her hair...After a while, Elsie rose her head and she started to stroke his cheek tenderly, looking at him in such meaningful way, that his heart skipped a bit...

“Charlie...I was so scared today...I thought that you were..That something happened to you...If it did, I wouldn't want to go on living...I can't imagine my life without you...”-Tears appeared in her eyes and he kissed her face, seeing this enormous proof of her affection...

“Shh...It's all right sweetheart...I'm all right....Elsie...My dearest Elsie....”-He rocked her in his arms gently, touched by the power of love...”Nobody in my whole life, has ever given me so much love, as you have...I don't know what would I do without you...”

“It's the same with me Charlie...Nobody has ever loved me the way you do...I wouldn't be able to live without it anymore...Promise me Charlie....”

“Promise what?..”

“That I will never have to live without you again..Not even for a day...When the time will come, to go away from this world, we will go together...I wouldn't want to spent even a single day without you....”

“Oh Elsie...My most precious treasure...I wouldn't want that either...I promise that we will go away together, on one day...”

“I love you Charlie...”

“I love you Elsie...”

They've kissed once more..Slowly...and sensually...

“I almost forgot..You must be so hungry...We have a delicious dinner from Mrs Patmore downstairs, just need to heat it up...I should have thought about that earlier, but I so wanted to be close to you..I'm sorry...”

“Don't you ever say I'm sorry for our love making Elsie...It's more precious to me, than any food of the world...”*

“It makes a nice change from the beginning of our marriage Charlie..”-Elsie couldn't help, but tease him a bit...

“I have to agree with you...Let's go downstairs and eat something together...”

“I'm all for that..”

They went downstairs and heated up the delicious dinner from Mrs Patmore...When they sat by the table, Elsie decided that she wants to be close to Charles all the time and she sat on his laps and he didn't protest at all...They were sharing their bites, kissing in meantime, enjoying all the closeness that they've had...When they finished, they went back upstairs, as they were both very tired...Especially Elsie felt that this day has taken it's toll on her...When they covered with a blanket, she said to Charles:

“Charlie...Love..Can you please hold me? I want to fall asleep in your arms...”

“Els...Baby...You don't need to ask...You know that I love cuddling you in the night...Sleep well..”

“I will...Because I have you close...Goodnight honey...”

“Goodnight my little flower...”

Elsie fell asleep almost immediately and Charles, soon followed her, calmed by her steady breathing and the feeling of her closeness...At one point of the night, she woke up, being uneasy, as if a nightmare reached her...She whispered quietly:

“Charlie, are you here?”

“I'm here Els...It's all right...”I'm with you...”-He cuddled her and she put her head on his chest, thinking that she was the luckiest woman in the world....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all for today my lovelies...I told you it was going to be soppy...Of course I couldn't let anything bad happen to Charles, not my style...I'm still wondering, if I should end the story here or not. Probably I will decide within a week, if any other idea will come to my head, I will use it, if not, I will try to work on some new stuff...For now, I'm keeping my options opened...I hope you liked this chapter. If so, please let me know. Sorry for any mistakes and stay safe!
> 
> *Maybe I'm weird, but when Charles and Elsie got married in the show, I was expecting to see some passion between them..I know that they are older people and Downton was a family show, but we had Mr Bates and Anna in loving scenes...Why couldn't Fellowes give us any loving Chelsie scene? Just one? I will never understand that..Especially considering that neither Jim or Phyllis wouldn't have anything against playing those kind of scenes with each other, if you know what I mean ;-) It would be much more fun, than cooking quarrels, but the writer went another way and so did I...Which way is better? It's for you to decide...;-)

**Author's Note:**

> So that's all for today's first chapter...I was planning a shorter one, but as usual, when I start to write Chelsie, I can't seem to stop...;-) I hope that you liked this introduction...I hope to have some interesting ideas for the next chapters with Charlie and Elsie...If you have any from your part, you can always PM me-I will be grateful for any suggestions. Sorry for possible mistakes. If you wish me to continue please let me know. See you soon my lovelies!


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